


Run Girl, Run | The Maze Runner

by Void_Kitsune



Series: The People We Were Before? They Don't Exist Anymore. [1]
Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: ...yet, AU, F/F, F/M, Female original character - Freeform, Minho Ships It, Newt is God sent, No actual relationships - Freeform, OC replacing Thomas, Part 1 of 3, Slow Burn, Subtle Romance, Tamara and Newt talk telepathically, Teresa and Tamara were together before being sent up, There's more behind the actual reason thou, basically a rewrite with a female lead and different actions taken, because why not?, but she still a reckless idiot like Thomas, technically female Thomas if you think about it, the female version of Thomas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-04-20 04:01:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 37,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14252604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Void_Kitsune/pseuds/Void_Kitsune
Summary: What happened? Where am I and why can’t I remember anything?  Those were my first thoughts before being thrust into the Glade.My arrival, it seems, stirred a lot of things and all of them aren't exactly good. Especially, when I run into the closing doors of the maze to help Minho and Alby. Oh well.-----A retelling of the amazing series with an original character taking Thomas' place.Based largely on the Movies, with a few things from the book. I only own my OCEntire story overhaul, now rewritten in 3rd personPart 1 of 3





	1. The Glade

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically an OC!Thomas story- a rewrite with my own original character in Thomas' place.
> 
> Of cause, they'll be similar in some ways but vastly different in others.
> 
> I'll let you read on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **OVERHAUL OF ENTIRE STORY COMPLETED (8/7/18)**
> 
> **NOW IN 3RD PERSON.**
> 
> \-----------
> 
> Run Girl, Run
> 
> This is basically an OC!Thomas story- a rewrite with my own original character in Thomas' place.
> 
> Of cause, they'll be similar in some ways but vastly different in others.
> 
> \-----------
> 
> **Chapter 1: Welcome to the Glade, Greenie**

 

She was startled awake cruelly by harsh shaking,  _rattling_  of metal and the deep vibrating hum of electricity. Her body jolted, gasping for breath.

Her first thoughts were: what happened? Where am I and  _why can't I remember anything?_

_Then her stomach clenched painfully and her throat burned as she rolled onto her side just as whatever food she had was thrown up. She gagged as another twang in her stomach sent more vomit spuing from her, leaving an awfully aftertaste in her mouth._

_With heavy lids, she raised her head to glance around where ever she was as she passed a light on the wall. A box. She was in some sort of cage. She managed to catch a glimpse of the boxes and barrels that filled the cage with her- it clinked into mind; she was in some sort of cramped elevator made up of metal grating._

_How did I get in here?_

She tried to focus on something, anything but all she drew were blanks- other than faces that she couldn't put details to and colours that flash past her vision; she managed to recover hasty flashes of facts, images, and details about how the world worked but not actually doing any of it. She couldn't truly remember anything - not even her name, her brain almost painfully pulsating inside her head as she tried to think about it more. All she did truly know was that she was female.

The girl blinked as she tried to focus on something but the stuffy and stale air made it difficult for her mind to work as well as she believed it should.

She sat upright and slumped against a barrel as she tried to breathe evenly. Her throat and chest burned as she tried and it caused her to cough before moaning in pain, a hand slid up to her neck and fingers brushed against a handkerchief which she ignored in favour of gently rubbing her sore throat.

Her lips quivered as her eyes burned- where was she? Why couldn't she remember anything? Why did her body feel so heavy and shaky?

Suddenly the elector's speed increased, a pig squeals and her lips part as if to scream but nothing but a low croaky sound left her sore throat. It sent her into a coughing fit.

Her wide pale blue eyes are drawn upwards in panic as the speed continued to accelerate.

Her mind traitorously whispering:  _what if it doesn't stop?_

But she swallowed, another part realistically added:  _why would anyone fill an elevator with things just to crush them?_   _It doesn't make sense._

What also didn't make any sense was  _why the hell she couldn't remember anything about herself before waking up!_

The elevator stops suddenly with a jarring movement and she grunted in surprise. There's a buzz and the red light becomes green.

_That has to be good, right?_

The girl found her body tensing, tighter than a drawn bowstring as the green vanished- leaving her in pitch black darkness. It goes completely silent (even the pig seemed to halt its movements), then a creaking metallic sound fills the air, followed by the metal roof above the elevator opening. Harsh sunlight floods every tiny space it can find and she used an arm to cover her face, the light too much for her sensitive eyes.

Her eyes adjust a tiny bit and lowered her arm, just enough so that she could see above her.

To the girl's surprise, she heard voices, all varying in accents. A few that seemed familiar to her but once more was like mist through her shaky fingers.

"It can't be – a girl?"

"Of cause not." the voice was sarcastic. "It's just a feminine guy."

"Who cares, shuck-face."

"How old is it?"

"Looks pretty shucked up, ain't it?"

"Is she hot?"

"I call dibs!"

"Slim it, you shanks."

With a shaky deep breath, she lowered her arm all the way, letting her eyes squint at the light. At her first glance, all she could make out were shadows of varying sizes but eventually they faded into people- boys. They were of a range of ages, but none looked older than eighteen or younger than fourteen, and they were all staring down at her with extreme wonder and curiosity.

_Who are they? Who am_ _I_ _?_

Her heart pounded inside her chest like a caged lion wanting escape but it slowly returned to its usual pace as she realized that she had little to fear from the boys, however despite that, it didn't mean she was comfortable with all their eyes on her.

Someone threw a thick rope with the end tied into a loop, obviously meant to be used to pull her up to their level.

Gingerly and with shaking legs, she stood and slid a foot into the loop. As her hands grasped the rope, she's yanked skyward towards the curious faces. As she reached the top, two sets of hands grabbed her; she tensed at the feeling but managed to loosen up as she's brought over the edge of the cage.

Her knees give out and the hands released her to give her space. Her fingers clench the cool grass as she breaths in the fresh air compared to the stuffy air inside the box. Her warm cheeks clashed against the breeze that brushed against her.

She moved, pushing herself up to her feet. She sways- her knees threatened to buckle out under her weight once more and someone clasps a hand onto her bicep to steady her.

_Okay, I can do this. I can do this._

She exhaled and glanced at all the boys, the chattering had fallen into silence; some were watching her with brows creased in concern, curiosity and others with suspicion.

_Why are they looking at me like that? Like they've never seen a girl before – I surely can't be the only girl, right? Right?_

A dark-skinned boy with his head clean shaved (he looked older than the rest- one of the oldest she'd seen yet) stepped forwards and she noticed he seemed to be inspecting her. After a few moments, he reached out and gripped her shoulder in a firm but welcoming gesture.

"Howdy Greenie." he greeted. "Welcome to the Glade."

The girl, the amnesic, the  _Greenie_ , let out a puff of air and dark brown strands of hair fly upwards and away from her eyes as she questioned: "Glade?"

Her voice wasn't what she expected- but what did she? It was softish, but the idea that she was soft spoken felt wrong. Her voice was clear, light- perhaps silvery? But a little rough around the edge, husky almost but not quite there.

The Greenie shook that thought train off and took the chance to truly examine her surroundings. All around her and the boys were grey towering stones walls, some parts covered in dark green healthy ivy. The walls themselves had to well over two hundred feet and formed a perfect square around the green glade, which was where they were all residing. The place was covered in trees and buildings that the boys had more than likely put together, there was a farm, a kitchen and other general places needed for survival.

_It actually looks kinda nice...?_

"Woah, it actually is a girl!" an undetectable voice said.

_No shit Sherlock… wait what does that even mean and how do I know it?_

"Finally figured it out, huh?" several laughed.

"We'll explain it as we give you a tour." he answered vaguely.

The girl clenched her jaw but nodded in understanding,  _I can wait a little longer, sure._

"Which Keeper is she gonna get?" someone called from her right.

Another boy made a sexist comment about girls and kitchens and the Greenie felt the desire to punch whoever said it. Another argued about what he knew about girls. She felt somewhat appreciative of whoever defended her dignity despite not knowing anything about her.

The dark haired brunette took the chance to look at the boys, their expressions still a mixture of wonder, bewilder and (what to her looked like) ill-hidden lust. She forgot about it all as her gaze landed on the boy who was still holding her bicep. He was a tall (she just reached his chin) shoulder length sandy coloured haired with deep chocolate eyes that sent a flash of familiarity through her.

For a moment, she thought he heard a boy laugh but as soon as she tried to grasp at the memory, to keep, to not forget, it escaped like a cloud.

When the leader, at least she guessed he was, spoke again, her eyes broke from the brown gaze to look back at him.

"The names Alby." he held his hand out.

She paused for a moment, " _Tamara"_  a female voice called with a laugh this time.

"Tamara." she greeted, Alby's lips twitch upwards as the now dubbed 'Tamara' add: "I think."

Groans and awes about why Tamara remembered her name so quickly started. She blinked in confusion, brows twitching with the emotion.

_What? Why-_

Alby chuckled lowly. "Most don't remember their names so quickly,  _Tamara_."

_Oh,_ oh! _I get it._

Her brows raised subtly in understanding but pursed her lips as a thought fluttered into the forefront of her mind. "I'm gonna bite and ask: do we remember anything else?"

Tamara found herself holding her breath and her chest tightens as she waited for his answer.

"Sadly not." Alby sighed before shifting, turning slightly to the sandy-haired boy, he gestured to him to introduce himself.

_Damnit all to hell. There goes my chances of possibly understand where I was from my own memories._

"I'm Newt." he greeted with a warm smile settling onto his features. "Second-in-Command, and if any of these shanks give ya any trouble, don't hesitate to come to either Alby or me. Got it?"

Tamara nodded twice in understand, returning the smile with a slightly awkward one (Tamara didn't want to seem impolite and smiled even if she felt… odd about the expression). "Thanks."

"Newt will be the one to show you around." Alby stated. Both Newt (his brows shot up, why was Alby giving him the job? It was out of place for his friend to do that) and Tamara nodded, Newt gestured with a jerk of his head to follow him so she did.

"We eat here. We sleep here. We grow our own food. We build our own shelter. Whatever we need, the Box provides. The rest is up to us." Newt briefly explained as they started a basic circle around the entire Glade.

"The box?" Tamara questioned, a frown tugged at her brows as she glanced over her shoulder to the elevator and the few boys that were working to get the supplies from inside.

"Yep. Sent up once a month with fresh supplies and a new Greenie. This month that's you, congratulations." Newt's lips twitched into a smirk as he patted her shoulder. "You're also the first girl to arrive as well, so that's an extra."

_Neat._

She pursed her lips. "Any idea about who it is that sends the box up?"

"That we don't know." Newt sighed before twist his head to face the extremely calm female, a curious look danced onto his face, "Ya know, ya'r really calm about this all."

_Ha, he thinks I'm calm._

Tamara paused her walking as she turned her head towards, stating: "I'm actually have an internal mental break down. I'm just good at hiding the fact."

One of Newt's brows shot up, a slight amused-concerned expression taking over his face. He shook his head, patting her back again. "You'll settle in in a day or two, Greenie."

Tamara hummed in return,  _I'll try._

"Anyway, there's a lot of different jobs." Newt circled back to the original conversation. "There are the Builders, what they do is pretty obvious; Sloppers, normally given to people who are klunk at every other job; Baggers, who are guards and deal with any dead; Cooks, another obvious one; Track-hoes, which I do and we tend to the gardens; Med-jacks, again obvious; Slicers, they tend to the livestock; and Runners."

_Wait-_

"'Runners'?" that one immediately caught and tightly latched onto Tamara's attention. Newt stops again, turning to her, a little surprised at the girl's swift response.

Newt ran his tongue over his top row of teeth, mentally scolding himself for mentioning the Runners. Why'd he do it? Of cause any Greenie was gonna ask what a Runner was- this wasn't his first time giving the tour and he'd not messed up by mentioning that job before. So why this time?

He exhaled via his nose. "A Runner is someone that ventures past those gates and into the maze outside." Newt turned and nodded his head to the nearest gate in front of them. "Their job is to run about the maze 'n map it out, the downside is the gates close at night and if ya ain't back then it's unlikely you'll still be alive by mornin'."

_Won't survive the night?_  Tamara's lips curled downwards at the phrase. "Why? What happens at night? Is something out there?"

"Yeah." his jaw tensed, but doesn't say anything else.

_What the fuck is out there?_

Newt started walking, wanting to distance himself from the turn that the conversation had taken. Tamara lingered, taking a glance at the gate before rushing after the walking tall blond. She noticed the limp his left leg harbored and she pursed her lips but made no move to ask about it.

Instead she asked: "What if I wanna be a Runner?"

Newt stopped abruptly, Tamara almost bumping into him and he whirled about. His eyes narrowed but not enough to be considered a glare. "It don't work like that- no one  _wants_  to be a Runner of their own free will, Greenie. Far too dangerous and you only just arrived. So I won't allow it!"

_Tamara's brow shot up in surprise, no matter how hard she tried to hide it._

_Newt sighed, turning to continue walking._ "Sorry, it's just that we've lost others that have gone into the bloody maze and I don't want it 'appening to you."

_Okay, I can understand that._

_Tamara nodded and walked side-by-side with Newt, listening as he continued._ "Alright; we only have three rules. First; do your part. No time for any freeloaders. Second; never harm another Glader. None of this works unless we have trust." Newt then pointed to the gate. "Most importantly never go beyond those walls. Do you understand me, Greenie?"

_That is totally doable,_ _Tamara's eyes met his chocolate brown ones. "_ Yeah."

He nodded, satisfied. "Good, I'll take ya to meet Chuck next," Newt threw his arm over Tamara's shoulder. "He was the Greenie before you and he'll help ya set up a hammock."

**~§~**

"Basically, it's the same story for all of us- we wake up in the Box, Alby - at least, Alby's normally the one that gives the tour." Chuck, a short and pudgy boy with brown eyes and curly hair that matched (he couldn't be any older than maybe twelve or thirteen years old at most, Tamara observed), chuckled slightly as he finished tying the hammock which would belong to the new arrival.

Chuck smiled widely up at Tamara seeing her slightly furrowed brows. "Don't worry. You're already doing better than I did. I klunked my pants three times before they got me out of the pit."

Tamara gave a low chuckle (it wasn't a very happy or enthusiastic sounding one) at his words,  _poor kid, he doesn't deserve this_.

She shifted her weight to her right foot with a deep exhale as she continued to lean against the tree. Tamara's gaze was quickly drawn back to the maze however- it felt like it was practically beckoning her to go in, as if saying: "come on, Tamara- you know you want to".

The brunette clenched her jaw and try to shrug it off.

Her gaze lifted and immediately spotted two figures come jogging out of the gates; Runners, she realized. They came jogging the pairs way, Chuck moves forwards, no doubt going to greet them.

The dark-haired Asian boy glanced Tamara's way with a curious tilt of his head but didn't say anything as he carried on. The short blonde haired, green wide-eyed boy, nodded with a small smirk. "Hey, Chuck and female Greenie? That's new, either way- how does it feel to be promoted?"

"Feels great, Ben." Chuck replied enthusiastically, Tamara feel the corner of her lips twitch upwards.

"Those the Runners?" she questioned as Ben left- following the other one. The answered to her question was pretty obvious, even to the dumbest of people.

"Yep." Chuck nodded serval times, "They know more about the maze than anyone."

_Maze,_ _Newt had mentioned it being a maze earlier too_ , Tamara realized,  _Maybe I can get more information?_

"Maze?" her head snapped around to look at him.

"Yeah." Chuck blinked with a nod.

"Oi, you best not continually bother us with all your questions about it." a voice sneered.

Tamara's shoulders jerked in surprise, she turned her gaze from Chuck to the owner of the voice. The boy, who looked to be in his mid-teens with short dirty blond hair and green eyes, was glaring at her.

_He obviously doesn't like me very much._

"Is it wrong to be at least a little curious about where I am?" she resorted, raising a brow at him. Tamara did  _not_  want to piss him of further but honestly, anything she thinks she'll do would probably piss him off.

Chuck shuffles on his spot nervously.

"Just because you're the first girl, doesn't mean you have any special privileges. If you wanna be a Runner, you've got to earn it." He continued to sneer.

_Tamara's brows twitched._

"I never said I had any 'special privileges'." Tamara respond in a dry tone,  _God, I want to punch him._

Suddenly there's a rumble and Tamara's head snaps back to the maze entrance to see the large stone gates begin to slide closed. She could feel the remains of a strong gust of wind brush through the glade.

Subconsciously, Tamara brought a thumb to her lips and nibbled on the nail.

Pausing for a moment, realizing what was she doing, she glanced down at the rest of her nails. They weren't far from perfect but definitely looked bitten – was she a nail biter? Tamara had the sudden urge to bite them, _maybe I am?_

Pushing that thought aside, Tamara glanced back up at the boy to see him leaving, he spared a glare over his shoulder at her. Tamara sighed, moving her own gaze (what colour were her eyes?) to Chuck.

"What's his deal?" she asked.

"T-that was Gally." Chuck stuttered, a look of worry evident in his eyes.

"Should I try and avoid him?" Tamara raised a brow.

"Maybe." he murmured.

Looking in the direction that Gally had gone, Tamara noticed quite a few of the boys had begun to gather around what looked like a fire pit in the making.

_Curious, I wonder…_

Tamara gestured to them with a nod of her head as she asked: "What are they doing?"

Chuck follows her gaze, his face lights up, "Oh! It's a celebration we have every month to welcome the new Greenies! We have a large bonfire and everything!"

_Chuck obviously liked it, can't be that bad, right?_   _It's just some kind of party, full of boys. Most of whom I'd yet to meet,_ _I have a feeling it's gonna be a long night._

Chuck grabs Tamara's hand while she was distracted. "Come on, Tamara!"

He started tugging the girl in the direction of the fire pit, her lips curled into a smile at Chuck's enthusiasm,  _cute kid_. The sun finally disappeared over the maze wall when the two reached the fire pit.

Tamar watched silently as Alby, Newt and several others lit torches and threw them into the pit at Alby's count, sending it up in flames as the boys cheered and start playing music to fit the atmosphere.

Quite early one, Newt came wandering up Tamara- something the brunette didn't really notice as she had been watching the boys and tugged her to a chopped down log, where the pair both sat with their backs against it and to the group of dancing boys.

Tamara quietly pick at the food Newt handed her, neither of them speaking for a while, something that Tamara wasn't bothered about (in fact the quiet between them was oddly comfortable and familiar), the cheers and laughter of the boys were enough to fill the silence between them.

Eventually, Newt twists his head, finishing his mouthful and speaks: "How's your mental state now that you've had time to take everything in?"

The corner of her mouth twitches upwards at the reference, Tamara let an airy chuckle escape but don't say anything.

"Here." Newt lifts the glass bottle with some sort of amber liquid inside from between his legs. Gingerly Tamara take the bottle from him, raising it to her mouth and took a sip. Immediately an awful taste invades her mouth and spat the drink onto the grass.

"Oh my God! What is that? It's disgusting." Tamara gagged as she scrunched her nose up. She took another bite of her food in an attempt to rid her mouth of the taste.

Newt took the bottle back with a soft chuckle, glancing at the liquid before looking over his shoulder. "Don't even know. It's Gally's recipe- it's a trade secret."

"Yeah, well, he's kinda an asshole, y'know." she grumbled, not bothering to hide her dislike for him.

Newt ran his tongue over his teeth. "He'll lighten up after a while, don't worry 'bout it."

_I might as well get something else off my chest too,_  Tamara felt Newt's muscle twitch against her arm in an almost flinching matter. She paused, turning to raise a brow at him- he waved her off and she asked: "We're trapped here, aren't we?"

Newt swallowed his mouthful and paused for a moment, blinking as he stared down at Tamara. She raised her brows again at the unreadable gaze, it disappeared a moment later.

_What was that about?_

Newt cleared his throat, giving a subtle nod, "For the moment, but, you see those guys? There, by the fire?" He trailed off, turning his body and pointed at a group of boys. Tamara followed his gaze to see Ben and the Asian guy from earlier as well as two others. "Those are the Runners. That guy in the middle there, that's Minho. He's the Keeper of the Runners. Every mornin', when those doors open, they're the ones to run the maze, mappin' it, memorizin' it, tryin' to find a way out."

_Minho huh? I was wondering what his name was._

"How long have they been looking?"

"Three years." Tamara sharply exhaled at the answer, her gaze returned to Newt's own brown orbs.

_Three years? -_

"And they haven't found anything?" she asked with a curious tilt of her head.

_Surely, they must have found something, right?_

"It's a lot easier said than done." Newt sighed with a shrug. It was then in the far distance, over the sound of the cheering boys, that Tamara's ears caught the noises that echoed through the maze. Newt, seeing that Tamara's gaze had gone back to the stone wall, spoke again. "It's the maze, changin'; it changes every night."

Tamara listened, half in awe, the other confusion,  _The maze is changing? -_

"How is that even possible?" she voiced.

Newt tilts his head and shrugged again. "You can ask the people who put us in here if you ever buggin' meet the bastards."

_Maybe I might,_  she hummed.

Newt gave a low humorless chuckle. "Listen; the truth is the Runners are the only ones who really know what's out there- they're the strongest and the fastest of us all. And it's a good thing too because if they don't make it back before those doors close then they're stuck out there for the night and no one has ever survived a night in the maze."

"What happens to them? You mentioned earlier that something was out there." Tamara questioned, he'd avoided answering beforehand and it was still bugging her.

"Well- we call them Grievers." Newt hesitated for a moment, Tamara could understand why. "Of course, no one's ever seen one and lived to tell about it. But they're out there. Right, that's enough questions for one night."

Tamara's gaze went back to Newt as she pursed her lips, there was still another question that's been bugging her.

"One more." Newt sighed, raising a brow as if this was gonna be some part of the no-no topic.

"What colour are my eyes?"

Newt throws his head back against the log, a short chuckle escaped his lips as they curled into a grin.

"Seriously?" He smirked. "I thoughts you were gonna ask something about the maze."

Tamara snickered, the closest sound to a laugh she'd done yet. "It's an honest question. It popped into mind a while ago."

Newt shook his head, raising his hands, his grin -more of a smirk now- didn't disappear. "Okay. Your eyes are blue."

"Blue?" Tamara echoed, a little disappointed at the bland answer.

"More…" Newt continued, her gaze returned to him; he pondered for the right word, his brown eyes boring into hers. "More…  _icy_  blue. They're very pale compared to the blue of the sky, almost whitish even. It's quite intense, actually."

Brown brows shot up. "Really?"

Newt nodded. "Yeah."

Tamara shot him a thankful smile, taking another bite of her food.

"Right, come on." Newt stood and Tamara jerked in surprise at his next words. "You're supposed to be the guest of honor."

"Oh, no... No. No!" Tamara protested but Newt tugged her up anyway.

"Come on. Let me show you around." Newt processed to drag her into the crowd.

_Aw man, there goes my avoiding everyone._

_He tugged Tamara into the crowd of boys, introducing her to several people like Winston, Frypan ("What type of name's Frypan?" "It's a nickname, Greenie.") and Zart as they walked around the entire area._

_Tamara found her gaze drawn to the fight match between Gally and another boy as the cheering got louder. Gally threw the boy from the circle and the cheers roared again, followed by laughter._

_Gally, with a grin on his face, high-fiving a few of the other boys. But he turned towards Tamara and she missed the flicker of his gaze as she'd turned back to look at Newt._

_"What about you Greenie?" he challenged, shouting over the cheers._

_Tamara's head shot back to Gally in confusion. He smirked. "How about it, girlie?"_

_"Gally." Newt voice, his tone held a silent warning._

_"Oh, slim it Newt. I wanna see what the Greenie's made off. Unless she's too much of a girly girl?" he challenged and Tamara frowned._

_"I don't think it's a good idea." someone said, several agreed._

_Tamara pursed her lips. "Okay."_

_Everyone's eyes snapped back to her in surprise._

_"What?" Chuck questioned, having moved to stand next to the girl._

_"Yeah." Newt cut in, his lips curling downwards. "You don't have to prove any-"_

_"What's wrong with some roughhousing?" Tamara shrugged, sparing a glance to Newt to see his worried expression before moving forwards. The boys parted to allow her access._

_Gally smirked, crossing his arms. "I'll make sure to go easy on ya, yeah?"_

_Tamara shrugged, "If you want- doesn't bother me."_

_Gally's brow twitched at her nonchalant response and he got into a stance, not waiting a moment and ran at her. She yelped and spun out the way and Gally stumbled. Tamara used the chance to move the other side of the circle and turned to see the Gally had fallen to his knees._

_Her eyes sharpened as she looked over his body as Gally stood. She examined any point of his body that she could use as an advantage. It felt natural to do that- like she'd been taught to do so._

_She dodged again as he ran at her. She pursed her lips._

_"Are you only gonna dodge?" Gally bit off in annoyance. "Not much of fight if you do that- might as well give up if so."_

_Tamara titled her head, her lips curling upwards into a smile that revealed her teeth. Gally blinked at the sudden change in expression and Tamara used that to her advantage. She was across the arena in a second and jumped, twisting her leg up and her foot collided with Gally's head. It sent him sprawling onto the ground._

_Tamara landed in a crouch, immediately scrambling back as the boys all shouted, cheered, laughed and mocked Gally._

She naturalized her expression again; eyes watching closely as Gally pushed himself to his knees and then his feet, going to-

Tamara ran at him again, Gally only had time to widen his eyes as Tamara comes flying at him full speed. She jumped and this time shoved her foot into Gally's chest.

It successfully threw Gally partly out the circle and the boys go silent, all staring at Tamara with wide eyes as she hits the floor and used the adrenalin rush to roll backwards onto her feet, only stumbling a little bit.

She blinked as Gally groaned, pushing himself into a sitting position. He glared at her and suddenly the boys all start cheering again.

"Greenie, Greenie, Greenie!"

Tamara moved forwards and held out a hand to Gally but all he did was smack her hand and get to his feet without help and moved away.

_Whoops,_  maybe she should have let him beat her. But how the hell did she know how to fight?


	2. Discoveries and Banishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or: Basically Newt's thoughts about Tamara and the fact they can somehow speak telepathically. Tamara amuses him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tamara has two braids either side of her head, against her scalp to the just past her ears where they then hang loose. The top part of her hair is loose and she normally has it to the right but isn't really trained to go that way.

As Tamara lay in her hammock that night, her mind half asleep- barely conscious, a thought leaped into mind. One that she'd not expected, something had made her unsettled and nervous- the Glade, the walls, the maze- it all seemed… familiar. She couldn't pinpoint whether the familiarity was good or not. She felt at ease yet horrified at the same time. Why? What made her feel such opposing emotions?

As those thoughts bounced about her mind, she finally fell into a deep sleep.

_"WICKED is good."_

_The overhead lights blinded her as she was wheeled down a hallway, mind fuzzy. So many things flashed and flicked before Tamara's eyes that she couldn't make any sense._

_"Tamara, Tamara..."_

_A girl's face flashed, warm blue eyes, silky raven hair that framed her pretty face, even as she looked nervous._

_There's screens – a lab, a white lab. Computer screens. Work, formulas, test tubes – some used, some empty._

_"Can you hear me? Everything is going to change."_

_"I can't do this anymore."_

_More things flashed across Tamara's mind._

_"You have to understand why I did it!"_

_"I couldn't just keep watching them suffer!"_

**~§~**

It was early, the gates had yet to open (but due to part sometime soon)- it was roughly the time that Newt often found himself coming too but it wasn't what awake him this time.

He swallowed as he pushed himself up as much as he could in his hammock. He chest clenched with unease and his body was uncomfortably warm- like he'd spent hours running through the maze again.

_'I couldn't just keep watching them suffer!'_

_Newt flinched, the action jerking his entire body as his breath hitched, the hammock rocked side to side. The voice- it sounded impossibly like Tamara's- like it had last night._

_For a moment, Newt pondered on the thought that he'd finally gone off the deep end- he was hearing voices in his head, how could that_ _not_ _mean he was going crazy._

_But no, last night, when he'd heard Tamara's voice for the first time, he'd been watching her from the corner of his eye- watching her face as she stared ahead, a look that Newt had already dubbed 'Tamara's thinking look' then her voice had rung through his mind. It had been hard to explain- the was no true sound or tone yet he could hear the desire to ask a question in the voice._

_He exhaled, unsure about whatever was happening._

_'I can't, -! You have to understand.'_

_Newt found himself flinching again against his will as he heard the almost defeated tone in Tamara's voice. She sounded frustrated, angry- betrayed. But by who, Newt didn't know- the name had been distorted, already annoyingly fading from memory._

_Newt swung his legs over the edge of hammock and stood. He quickly slipped his shoes on and moved towards Tamara's hammock- he couldn't stop himself. He wanted to know if he was hearing things (if he'd finally gone off the deep end) or if…_

_He bit his lip as he, silently as possible, slid around Chuck's hammock to lay his eyes on the Greenie. He paused, watching as her face scrunched up in discomfort. Her shoulders tensed and loosening as she squirmed. Nightmares? Memories? A mix of both?_

_'-, I can't continue to just watch anymore.'_

_Her frown become more apparent at the statement. Whatever she was experiencing, it wasn't pretty. Newt reached over to shake her shoulder, not able to continue to let her suffer through whatever it was._

_She didn't budge and Newt found himself biting his lip again._

_If I can hear Tamara- could she hear me? Would it even work like that?_

_Tamara?_ _He tried but no response. He frowned with a shuffle of his weight between his feet. What if he tried… reaching out- in some sort of way?_

_Tamara?_ _No, it still didn't feel right. Newt takes a deep breath and released it. He narrowed his eyes as he imagined almost sending his thought to the girl,_ _'Tamara?'_

_She let out a faint noise and Newt found himself freezing as she momentarily paused her fidgeting-_ _did she just-?_

_'Tamara?'_

_Her frown made another appearance but this time the frown was of confusion, her round, ever so slightly upturned nose scrunched up as her head turned towards me._

_And just like that, she answered,_ _'Newt?'_

_Newt's jaw clamped shut, his teeth clanked loudly as he forced himself to stay silently-_ _she... I… we just…_

_'Yeah, it's me.'_ _the blond responded after a moment to collect himself,_ _'You're currently sleeping and we're having a buggin' telepathic conversation, sweetheart.'_

_'A tele-what?'_

Newt snorted aloud at her tone, he froze and glanced around to see if he had disrupted anyone. No.

' _Telepathic conversation, I know. Your uh- voice wake me, you were dreamin' or somethin'. No idea how we're doin' this.'_

' _Dreaming?'_ she questioned. Newt had doubted she'd remember; no one else ever did.

' _Yeah, didn't sound to pretty though.'_  he paused, glancing towards the gate where he caught sight of Alby and he knew that the Leader would be coming to wake the Greenie soon; might as well do it for him,  _'I'm gonna wake you, 'kay? Alby'll be coming over soon to wake ya anyway.'_

The blond didn't wait for a reply before he, what felt like to him, pulled away from a connection- he felt oddly lonely afterwards. He reached over again and shook her shoulder once more, this time she came to immediately. Her icy orbs looking slightly dazed, which she blinked to clear.

Newt stepped back, allowing her to sit up.

"Follow me." Newt jerked his head and Tamara slid from her hammock, pulling her shoes on before trailing after Newt. He led her from Homestead and towards Alby, who was stood by the kitchen.

Alby nodded at Newt in thanks, which the blond returned.

Tamara ran her hand through her slightly matted hair, being careful not the catch her braids either side as she was led towards the wall.

As the trio approached, Alby started speaking: "It's peaceful, isn't it? I know it's hard to believe, but it wasn't always this way. We had dark days. We lost a lot of boys to fear, to panic. We've come far since then, established order... made peace."

Tamara tilted her head and her eyes lifted from the ground to Newt then Alby with a subtle shake of her head in confusion: "Why are you telling me this?"

"Cause you're not like the others." Newt answered, her eyes flicker up to meet his but back to Alby when he continues.

"You're curious, even if you're not asking the questions but you're one of us now. You need to know what that means." Alby grasped Tamara's hand and placed the familiar knife into it; he gestured to the wall.

Tamara's eyes flickered across the entire area of names, mostly taking it all in. Newt watched as her eyes landed on some of the names that been crossed out, some of the names of boys we'd lost.

The thought that his own could have been on there made him subconsciously lick his lower lip.

"What… happened to them?" Tamara asked hesitantly, understanding it was a heavy subject for the older Gladers.

"Like I said... dark days, Tamara, dark days." Alby answers, tone heavy.

Tamara stepped forward, her eyes locking onto a blank spot. She raised the knife and set it on the stone. It's slowly but easily worn away by the continuous drags of the knife.

As she starts her name Alby turns to Newt.

"Greenie will start as a Track-hoe." Alby ordered, patting Newt's shoulder before making his return to the homestead.

Newt sighed, shifting to lean on the wall to watch as Tamara work. She hardly seemed to pay any attention to anything other than the wall and Newt found it a little amusing to be truthful but he used the chance to, as she carved her name in capitals, examine her.

Tamara seemed to be about sixteen or seventeen and average height for a young woman. He didn't know any rough estimates but she reached his chin in height (for a brief moment, he couldn't help the thought of standing behind her, arms wrapped around her shoulders with his chin resting on her head- the image made his lips twitch upwards)- and he was one of the tallest boys in the Glade.

Her hair was dark brown that just missed her shoulders but would brush against them while she moved. On both sides of her head, she had two braids each and no real parting at the top of her hair, allowing the rest of her hair free range for which way it could fall.

On her face and neck, Tamara had a dozen or so mole scattered about like a constellation, and if that was anything to go by, Newt was sure she had more covering the rest of her body. Her eyes were an odd icy blue colour that seemed almost familiar almost familiar to him.

The moment she'd met his eyes yesterday as she glanced around the entirety of the Glade, Newt knew she found something about him familiar too- there was an ever so slight flicker in her gaze that gave it away (before she managed to hide it) and she'd only just had her memories removed (or recently anyway). Who knows when the Creators do it.

Newt couldn't help but feel curious about her dream, sure they all had the occasional odd dream that they'd be unable to remember when they woke, but he'd never seen a reaction as odd as Tamara's- let alone the fact they'd managed to form some bloody telepathic connection over the single day they'd known each other.

Single day? They'd definitely had some sort of meeting before Newt'd been sent up since she'd left a big enough impression on him that her eyes had caused something to stir within his mind that lacked any sort of memories of before the Glade.

While giving her the tour yesterday (Newt was still confused about the fact that Alby had given him the task- not that he was complaining but it was just odd) he'd made sure to keep a close eye on her to see if she'd do something that would trigger that familiarity again.

While he had no such luck, he wasn't surprised or hopeful but he couldn't help but feel disappointed.

Despite that, it had also give Newt the opportunity to learn more about Tamara as a person. He found her eyes would flicker with questions she didn't ask (even though she still asked quite a few) and he wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or not and her face hardly moved form a neutral mask- sure her brows and lips would twitch at certain things but she just didn't seem to be someone that expressed herself very much.

For some reason, a part of Newt felt off put about that- like she shouldn't be like that, he practically could picture her smiling and laughing but for some reason she just didn't express herself.

Was it something she did unintentionally, or purposely?

Perhaps she'd lighten up in a few weeks.

Newt exhaled deeply via his nose as his gaze moved onto the Glade and the few that had gotten up and made their way to the kitchen.

To Newt, something about the way she seemed to hold back (was that the right term for him to use?) made her look a little reckless- the way she seemed to hold herself didn't help; she looked like she'd jump into action without a second thought if necessary. Hell, she'd taken an immediate interest in being a Runner and can hold herself in a fight, if going by the Bonfire last night (it had surprised  _everyone_ ; the way she moved and acted- even herself, that much was obvious). And while Newt couldn't disagree that she looked like Runner material, she was just too  _new_.

But Newt didn't doubt she'd become in the future however-  _if she keeps buggin' us all about it_. Newt's lips twitched at that thought.

It took Newt a moment to realize that the scraping of the wall had stopped, he twisted his head to see Tamara staring at him.

"Are we gonna talk about what happened earlier?" she asked, brow raised.

Newt sighed and slumped against the wall, shooting her a dry look. "If I knew anythin', I'd be sure to tell ya."

Tamara narrowed her eyes slightly, not a glare but more in annoyance and Newt felt his lips twitch again.

She sighed, returning to carving her name. "So no one else has seriously ever been able to talk with someone telepathically before?"

"None that have come forward anyway." Newt stated sarcastically.

She rolls her eyes, a smirk twitching at the corner of her lips.

 _Maybe it was Tamara that had the ability then_? Newt thought,  _surely if it was me I'd already know about it since I'd been in the Glade for three years now; it would also mean that we'd have had to have close contact before, right?_ That was the only thing that came to mind when thinking about telepathic stuff and how it could happen _, but it still doesn't_ _explain_ _anything._

The two continued in silence until Tamara finished her name, both taking a step back to examine the 'TAMARA' that was now a permanent part of the Glade.

"Looks good." Newt hummed, sending her a smile, she returns it with a small one- it wasn't so much forced but rather she seemed to find smiling almost an effort. Newt tilted his head at that.

Tamara, her name is beginning to become a bit of mouthful  _for Newt_ _,_  didn't talk much either- it made Newt curious naturally.

"Thanks." she responded shortly, holding the knife out for him to take, which he did and shoved it into his belt for safe keeping.

"C'mon, we've got to get some food before we get to work." Newt stated, beginning to head towards homestead, Tamara walking beside him.

Arriving, they were met with Frypan waiting for them. Most of the other boys had finished and gotten to work by now.

"Mornin' Newt, Greenie," Frypan greeted as the pair wandered in.

"Mornin'," Newt returned, Tamara nodded.

That brought back Newt's previous thought- a bit antisocial or just quiet perhaps?

The pair grabbed their breakfast and ate, finishing within seven. Then Newt led Tamara towards the gardens.

Newt wasn't all that surprised when Tamara, after being told what to do, did so silently.

Newt watched Tamara from the corner of his eyes as he worked on his own part of the vines. He watched as she pursed her lips into a pout like frown. Admittedly, Newt sound the sight a little bit adorable to see but he smirked as she paused and glared at the vines.

He raised a blond brow. "Need some help?"

She muttered. "I swear to whatever God there is- how do you-?"

Newt chuckle as she continued glared at the vines.

New moved and crouched beside her, momentarily pausing to adjust his position as it pulled an almost painful twang from his leg and gently knocked her hands out the way to demonstrate. "Like this; it's pretty simple. You grab this end here, twist it around the pole twice, get the other end, hook it around once, and repeat. Twist twice, hook once."

"Thanks." she murmured and Newt pulled back to allow Tamara to try. She did it on her second try.

"No problem, Tammie." Newt chuckled, testing the nickname.

He watched as she paused, a blank look forming as she turns to look at the blond – there was a hint of confusion in her eyes as she spoke: "What?"

Newt snorted in amusement at the look she gave him.

"You know  _Tam_ mie?  _Tam_ -ara? Tammie's like an abbreviation of Tamara or somethin'." Newt explain. "Plus, Tamara's kinda a mouthful so I decided I wanted to give ya a nickname- that okay with ya?"

She blinks several times. "Oh- sure, yeah. Whatever, do what you want."

 _At least she didn't protest the name,_  Newt mused; he'd test it out more to see if she actually liked it though, no point calling her something she hated.

Zart stepped forward as Newt stood to return to his position and as asked if she could fetch some fertilizer for the. She nodded, accepting and nabbed the bucket from him.

Newt paused his work, watching as Tamara-  _Tammie_  walked away and it left a bad feeling in his stomach- like something bad was gonna happen. He sighed and continued to work, trying to push the feeling aside.

**~§~**

Tamara followed the path that Zart had told her about and as she walked, something caught her eye. Something made of wood that stuck out the ground. She stepped closer to examine it and realized it was man-made.

She noticed to name 'George' engraved on it. A grave, she realized, remembering the name on the wall from earlier.

Tamara bowed her and moved to carry on, not wanting to disrespect but as she turned, there was someone there.

Tamara flinched in surprise, accidently dropping the bucket. She recognized him immediately. "Uh... You're Ben, right?"

Tamara paused, taking note of the sickly pale tone of his skin and heavy breathing coming out in grunt. At his sides, his fists were clenched as trembles rocked his body.

_What's wrong with him?_

She met his eyes and notice the murderous hunger in his eyes.  _Oh man._

Licking her lips, Tamara stupidly asked: "Are you okay?"

His breathing just continued to come out in grunts, his jaw clenching and before Tamara could process what happened, he was on top of her, clawing at her face.

Something shinny reflected light.

It took Tamara almost a moment to register what it was. A knife.

With all her might, Tamara fought, attempting to shove him off her. He slashed at her face and a scream tore from her throat as it sliced her right cheek up to her brow. She hardly even registers the pain as she continued to fight.

"Get the hell off me!"

"It's your fault. I saw you. You did this. I saw you!"

Her heart pounded as he raised the knife, her eyes widened.

_No fucking way!_

_Acting on instinct, Tamara grabbed the blade in her left hand- it sliced her palm but she cared little as she pushed upwards. Her bloody dribbled down onto her already bloody face._

_A wordless shout escaped her mouth as she fought but it seemed luck was on her side as Ben gave up on the knife, chucking it away. Unfortunately, he just grasped one of her arms, holding it down while the other clamped down on her throat. Her free hand shot up in reflex, whacking him in the face and smearing her blood on him but he didn't flinch._

_Tamara could hear the loud constant drum in her ears, the beat of her pounding heart pulsing but getting slower and slower as she gave a strangled gasp, desperate for air._

_Her vision danced, blurred, as she cranked her neck for something- anything that she could use. Through her tunnel vision, she could make out a sort of goat skull. Her hand left Ben's face and she reached for it._

_Her fingers brush several times and her eyes burn in hopelessness but with one final try was successful and her hands wrapped around it._

_She smashed it against his head._

_It stunned him, giving the girl enough time to scramble to her feet and up a hill only for them both to go rolling down the other side when he tackled her. She got to her feet again, the desperation and the rush of pure adrenaline allowing her to move her body. She screamed, her voice croaky and sore but she didn't care as she continued to scream with every step she took closer and closer to the garden._

_Tamara pushed past a final tree and reached the garden with Ben still hot on her feet._

_Behind her, she heard him growl and suddenly the bright light blinded her and makes her falter, then she was on the ground, being twisted and Ben's hands reaching for her neck again._

Then  _WHACK._

The heavyweight trying to kill her lessened immediately, Tamara heard some sort of tool hit the ground and she's grabbed by someone, only it was softer this time. It pulled her up and Tamara squinted to see who it was. Newt.

"Pin him down!" Newt ordered, pulling Tamara away from the chaos and setting her down in a separate spot; shielded from the sight of the boys all crowding Ben and trying to pin him down.

Newt finally turns, his mouth open to say something but clams it shut at the sight of the girl. His eyes widened. " _Klunk_  Tammie!"

Tamara just stared at him, eyes wide and breath coming out unevenly. Her body shook with the  _adrenaline rush coursing through her blood stream. Newt licked his lips nervously at the look, his hands came up to her face but she flinched and he froze, watching as she bowed her head and clenched her eyes shut._

_He swallowed the lump that lodged itself in his throat and his other hands cupped her other cheek, raising her head._

_"Tammie." he spoke softly, ignoring the loud background noise of the boys and Ben. She looked at him and his other hands skipped over her bloody face to her neck. It was already red and sore looking._

_His eyes flickered to the bloody left hand she was clutching to her chest. He gently took hold of the wrist and she opened it to reveal a slice all the way across in a horizontal line._

_Tamara took a gulp of air and finally spoke, voice croaky. "_ I had... I had ta' grab the knife."

His movements are gentle as he inspects it, he straightened her fingers and they watched as the edge of the wound open further and while it was covered in dark red blood it was easy to see that the wound luckily wasn't too deep.

Suddenly Ben started screaming and the pair turning their attention back to him. Ben was being held down by six boys all at one and he was still causing them trouble.

"Tamara, what the hell happened?" Frypan shouted over the noise Ben was making.

Newt's other hand landed on her shoulder and squeezed gently as she scratchily answered. "I- I don't know! He just attacked me!"

Everyone went quiet at Tamara's words, Alby finally appeared and stepped into the circle of boys made around Ben.

"No! No!" Ben started pleading, looking up at Alby as if he'd just been called for a death sentence.

"Lift his shirt!" Alby ordered.

The boys did as ordered; Ben's shirt was lifted and a large purple infected wound was spreading on his stomach, the veins were a dark blue, almost black colour, around the wound were sickly yellows, greens and purples. It was disguising.

It made Tamara's stomach clench uncomfortably. It made even some of the boys gasp and flinch away.

"He's been stung." Gally said quietly in confusion, looking up to Alby. "In the middle of the day?"

Tamara's eyes flickered towards Alby; his face was pained, although it looked like he had been through this before.

"Put him in the pit." Alby ordered.

Ben started screaming again at the order, struggling to break free from the grips of the boys holding him. They started lifting him but with great difficulty.

Newt tugs Tamara up as well, far more gently then the boys were with Ben. "Let's get you to the Med-jacks, Tammie."

Newt doesn't rush Tamara as she stumbles several times and her knees can't stop shaking. Her whole body shook, her chest constricted tightly as Newt guided her through the door of Homestead and into the Med-jacks room.

He sat her on the bed and knelt in front of her, his hands sliding up to her shoulders as he watched in worry as Tamara's breathing hitched and she clenched her eyes close.

"Hey, Tammie. I need you to breath for me, yeah?" he spoke softly realizing she was on the edge of a panic attack. She swallowed and look up at him. Her eyes were red raw- hell her right eye even had blood on it and she looked terrible.

"Breathe with me, okay?" Newt continued and he took a deep breath, Tamara working to mimic it but her breath lodged in her throat halfway.

"Again." he instructed and this time Tamara did it better. Newt continued to do this until Tamara started doing it herself, as which point she bowed her head and let out a shaky but deep breath.

Newt sighed in relief, rubbing Tamara's shoulders and looked up as both Clint and Jeff finally return. At which point Newt took his leave, sending Tamara a reassuring smile before exiting.

The Med-jacks put an ointment on her neck to help numb the pain and cleaned both Tamara's face and hand. Unfortunately, they were only able to bandage her hands because of how her face wound was, they weren't able to cover the entire length of the slice without covering part of her other eye- which she needed.

Once they'd cleaned her up, they told her they wanted her to come back every morning and evening until they cleared her. They gave her water and sent her to bed rest.

Tamara dozed but couldn't find true sleep as it kept avoiding her. She wasn't sure how much time passed by but at some point, Alby stepped into her room and Tamara glanced up at him as he pulled up a chair and sat.

"That looks pretty nasty." Alby gestured of the wound of her face.

"Compared to being strangled, it didn't hurt too much." Tamara answered honestly, giving him a forced smile. She ducked her head, looking at her bandaged left hand, "What happened to him?"

"It's called 'The Changing'. It's what happens when someone gets stung." Alby answered, rubbed his hands together, leaving forwards slightly. "Listen. We haven't been able to get a clear word out of Ben since it happened. He's not making a lick of sense and it's only gonna get worse; his infection is spreading, he's dangerous. Could you tell me what he said to you?"

 _What did he say to me?_  Tamara licked her lips and tilted up her face towards the roof of the room, running her right hand through her hair as she tried to recall what had been said. "Uhm...H-He said he saw me... and- and that this was all my fault. How could this be my fault?" Tamara's voice quivered and eyes burned with tears, despite how much she tried to stop them from doing so. She looked up at Alby, her face scrunching up in pure confusion.

It's silent between the two for a few moments as Alby doesn't answer right away, just leaned forward and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Get some rest."

He stood and headed for the door.

"Alby?"

He glanced back at Tamara, "Yeah?"

"What's gonna happen to him?"

He doesn't answer, but he gained a look of anguish.

It was later that evening when Tamara discovered what was going to happen to Ben. With Chuck leading the brunette by her right hand, they arrived at the gathering at the gate, which was due to close soon.

It was Minho that led Ben into the circle of boys, cutting the rope that had been used to bind Ben's hands behind his neck. Ben had gotten worst, face creased and dirty, less ravenous and more weak. Most of the boys of the Glade stood there wielding poles, some with sharpened into spears, others had a horizontal perpendicular branch tied to the end.

Ben fell to his knees, beginning to hack and a black goo fell from his mouth.

"Just, please, listen to me! Please, Minho!" Ben pleaded, his voice more a groan than anything. Chuck's grip on Tamara's hand tightened and she returned it.

The sound of the gate doors that Tamara was beginning to become accustomed to, echoed through the Glade. Minho threw a bag into the Maze, which had a short supply of food and water inside.

Tamara felt the familiar breeze from the Maze, ruffling everyone's clothing and hair wildly.

"Poles!" Alby shouted, everyone that was holding then pointed them to Ben.

Despite what happened with Ben, Tamara couldn't help but feel pity for him. But what intrigued her was the fact that he'd seen a Griever and escaped one. Newt told her no one had seen a Griever and lived, was this what he'd meant? That those that had, wound up like Ben?

"Move in!"

The boys slowly stepped forwards when the doors began to close, forcing Ben to move back and closer to the entrance. He was screaming, yelling, begging, noises from nightmares escaped his mouth. Finally, the boys managed to get him into the Maze just as the doors were too close to do anything else but go into the Maze.

Tamara watched as Ben uttered a final scream and the doors clamped shut, locking him in. Everything was quiet as the female absorbed the fact that Ben wasn't going to survive the night,

Alby, noticing Tamara staring, said a single sentence that sent chills down her spine. "He belongs to the maze now."


	3. Night in the Maze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> or: Tamara's a reckless idiot and pays the price, but comes out on top.

" _Tamara."_

" _Wicked is good."_

" _Don't make it easy on them." An older woman, ginger hair neatly pulled back, lays a hand on her shoulder. She so_ familiar  _to Tamara_ _._

_Some sort of control room, a large round rotating image with strange patterns covered most of a screen in front of her icy eyes._

" _Tamara, everything is going to change." the same black haired, blue eyed girl, she was leaning over her. The girl's smile was sad._

" _Wicked is good."_

" _This is gonna hurt a little."_

_More people, unfamiliar, unlike the others. The room was white, filled with unknown tools and machines._

" _Tamara, please understand why we're doing this." The older woman again, she brushes strands of hair from Tamara's eyes, the woman's face is blurry as Tamara tried to fight against the tired sensation overtaking her._

Tamara jolted awake with blurry eyes but still she could tell it was early. The sun had barely risen and most of the Glade was lit up by a dull blue morning light.

Tamara swallowed and rubbed her left eye, making sure to not touch the right side of her face or use her left hand- she could feel the wounds pulsing, they hardly hurt anymore.

For a brief moment, Tamara thought about comparing the pain to carpet burn, but she didn't remember what carpet burn felt like, so was it really a suitable pain to compare it too?

She lowly groaned at her stupid train of thought and instead squeezed her eyes closed as she tried to recall what she'd seen in her dream but all she got were flashes. A girl with long silky black hair and warm blue eyes. Something in Tamara said she could trust her- whoever she was but another part was like a cat, hissing at the sight of her and tail all puffy.

She didn't understand it; it was like her thoughts the previous night, where the maze felt familiar in both a good and bad way.

But her focus was on the other woman, the ginger with her hair pulled back into a bun. She screamed familiarity, something about her called out to Tamara but much like the other girl, a part (a larger, much larger than for the girl) shouted she couldn't be trusted.

Tamara shifted and twisted her head to the maze gates to see they'd not yet opened. At that exact moment, the familiar rumbled echoed and the gates began to move and split apart. Tamara watched as Minho and Alby ran into the opening doors, Newt stood there watching.

Tamara frowned at them- Alby wasn't a Runner, so why was he going into the maze? Tamara's eyes flickered back to Newt, she wanted to get up and speak to him but her body protested at the mere thought of moving.

Her lips twitched into a smirk as an idea formed.

' _Do you guys ever have dreams about before?'_ She questioned, watching as Newt flinched in surprise, a hand coming up to rest on his chest.

' _Bloody hell, Tammie!'_  Newt hissed in return, twisting towards her direction.

Tamara finally moved, her body most definitely protested at the movements, to allow her to see Newt more clearly which revealed he'd started walking towards her.

' _Sorry, but are you gonna answer my question?'_  she murmured the apology with apathy, more focused on the yawn that cracked her jaw.

Newt scoffs at the lack of empathy in her voice but he sounds amused as he answers.  _'No you're not. But yeah, only the first week or so but they don't remember anything. Why?'_

' _I had a dream- can't remember all of it, just distorted flashes but there were two women that I can remember the best out of everything that happened in it.'_  Tamara sighed, running a hand through her hair.

' _Interesting.'_  Newt mind murmurs. Mind murmurs? Yeah, mind murmurs- Tamara resided the urge to groan, it was too early for complex thinking, like the fact that you could murmur through a telepathic connection.

As Newt reached Tamara, he tiled his head and raised a brow as her when she continued to lay.

"Comfy." she uttered under her breath and rubbed her non-injured eye again.

He gave a parted lipped smirk.

' _I don't think I can trust either of them.'_  Tamara added, watching as Newt frowned as she continued mentally. ' _Some part of me_ wants _to, but a much large part is basically screaming at me that I shouldn't – that they_ _can't_ _be trusted. I think they're work with the people who put us here- part of the reason we're in the Glade.'_

Understanding flicked onto Newt's face as he nodded; reaching forwards and patted Tamara's head as she yawned again, partly covering her mouth in reflex.

As Newt drew back, Tamara shuffled upright and swung her legs over the side of the hammock to sit up and run a hand through her hair again.

"Why'd Alby go into the maze?" Tamara questioned, asking the other thing that had been bugging her. "He's not a Runner, right?"

"Alby went with Minho to retrace Ben's footsteps." Newt explained grimly. Tamara sharply exhale, her chest clenched tightly at Ben's name and she squeezed her eyes closed.

She didn't understand the guilt- actually she did. Had she not been here he wouldn't have attacked her, claimed that...

"Sorry." Tamara choked out. Just having to say it - even if it wasn't her fault that he'd been stung, he'd still been banished for attacking her for something he  _thought_  she'd done.

Had done? Just the thought made Tamara choke on air, throat constricting.

"Hey, hey, it's not your fault." Newt's hands land on Tamara's shoulders and squeezed gently in an attempt to draw her attention away from her current train of thought, his brows furrowed into a frown.

Tamara's jaw clenched. "I-I think-."

_"It's your fault. I saw you. You did this. I saw you!"_

Something lodged itself in her throat, not letting her speak any further. So, she continued the only way she could.  _'Ben saw something – saw me, he said he saw me, that it was my fault. I-I-.'_

Tamara's fingers gripped her trousers till her knuckles were white and hurt (her left  _hurthurthurt_ ), she couldn't bring herself to say anything else, but Newt -  _amazing_  Newt somehow knew what Tamara was trying to say.

His fingers tighten further, not enough to hurt or leave a bruise, but rather for reinsurance and comfort.  _"Maybe you were."_

 _Oh my god_ , Tamara choked, squeezing her eyes shut. Her chest clenched tightly and her lungs burned as she tried to breathe.  _Oh god_ , it hurt  _– but this was nothing to what I might've done to others, I deserve this. Fuck, I deserve this._

Hands on her face snapped Tamara to the present. Through her wet and clumped together lashes (when had she started crying?) she glanced up to Newt's warm brown orbs.  _'But, Tammie, the key word there is_ were _. Maybe ya_ were _working for them. You said it yourself that in your dream you felt that ya couldn't trust any of 'em. But the previous you don't exist no more, Tammie. That Tamara died the moment she lost her memories, 'kay?'_

Tamara sharply exhaled and blinked, trying to get the salt water from her eyes. It just made the tears roll down her cheeks.  _'Still, I could have something to do with this! I could be part of the reason we're all here!'_

Newt's jaw clenched and he leans forward, his forehead resting against Tamara. It's grounding for Tamara and she tightened her grip and finally noticed that her hands were no longer on her trousers, but rather latched onto Newt's wrists.

' _Shut the hell up Tamara, I don't wanna hear any of this klunk. Wanna know why?_   _It don't bloody matter – not anymore, Tammie, okay?"_  Newt brushed his nose against hers.  _"The you before obviously didn't like what they were doing either, if your dream is anything to go by, yeah?"_

"Now breathe, Tammie." Newt drew back, speaking aloud and smiled. "Breathe for me."

Shakily, Tamara drew in a breath and choked out an exhale, Newt smiles as Tamara continued doing do until she'd managed to do so without choking on an intake.

"Good girl." Newt shifted, knelt and tugged Tamara to his chest. Tamara latched on with any prompting, her arms circling his waist as she inhaled the smell of fresh pine trees and it took her a moment to realize that it was Newt.

The smell was almost intoxicating for her- it was grounding and fresh for Tamara. Her grip tightened at the thought, she didn't understand why but it didn't matter to her, she didn't care.

Tamara's eyes fluttered closed against her will, enjoying the soothing way that Newt ran his hand up and down the back of her neck.

"Thanks." she murmured into his shoulder. He hummed.

Newt pulled back after a few silent moments and smiled, there's a sad look in his eyes (because the Greenies been here three days and she's already been attacked, almost had two panic attacks and is the only girl in the entire place) but there was no pity in his gaze. "No problem. How 'bout a shower? I'm sure you don't want none of those shanks seeing you like this, yeah?"

Tamara snorted lowly, lips twitching upwards. "Please."

**~§~**

If Tamara could go back to that morning, she'd have refused Newt's offer for a shower because as she pressed her chest against the wooden pole, watching the gates, she felt the faint splashes of rain hit her face.

It had started raining a few hours prior and had yet to stop and she'd gotten soaked after hardly two minutes standing in it. She'd not really cared but Newt had almost immediately flocked to her side and like a mama bear made her take cover and hadn't left her side since.

But the fact that Newt was hovering over her the entire day didn't bother her as she'd gotten the chance to learn more about the Glade. Like the fact that Alby had been first up, how he'd spent possibly a month by himself (Newt hadn't specified how long and she'd forgotten to ask), and how he'd become the Leader of the Glade.

She lazily dragged in a breath before exhaling before pursing her lips. Worry began to carve into her gut at the fact both Minho and Alby should've been back by now. She bit her lip and glanced towards Newt, who had taken residence in a nearby chair, gently rubbing his left leg.

Tamara briefly took note of Chuck using a knife to carve something into a small piece of wood.

She licked her lips. "They should be back by now, right?"

"They will be, they're gonna make it." Newt countered, sounding confident but there was still a slight waver in his tone that most would miss if not paying close enough attention. Tamara pursed her lips again having heard it.

She nodded, even if Newt didn't see it and didn't comment further. They trio continued to watch the gates for any sign of the Keeper of the Runners and Leader of the Glade.

Five minutes pass, then ten, then twenty- at some point the rain had finally stopped but it seemed hardly anyone paid it attention to that fact because neither Alby or Minho had appeared. Slowly Gladers began to edge towards the gate. Newt stood, following the boys and Tamara followed him. Chuck grasped her hand, his grip tight as they joined everyone at the gate.

Tamara felt and heard her heart beat loudly, the sound making her ears rush as she stood watching the path into the maze. Her fingers gripped her trousers as she bounced up and down the ball of her feet, trying desperately to sooth her nerves but it didn't do anything.

_Fuck._

Suddenly, two figures round the corner, someone shouts "There!" from her left and the boys start to cheer.

Tamara didn't, instead her focus is on the two. Something was  _wrong_ , Alby was practically being carried by Minho.

 _Alby was unconscious_.

"Alby's hurt." she uttered.

Newt's head snaps around to Tamara as she uttered the words before returning to the pair, his eyes widened in realization and horror.

There's a rumble, and now everyone's shouting.

"Come on, Minho, you can do it!"

"Minho, you gotta leave him!"

 _They're not gonna make it,_ she choked.

"You gotta leave him!"

The doors are getting closer and closer.

She couldn't.

Tamara couldn't leave them out there by themselves.

It's a split-second decision.

Her body tenses and she leapt forward.

"Tamara, no!" Newt.

The brunette ignored them all, ignores how they shout at her to come back, ignores how Newt's fingers (was it Newt's?) brush against the crook of her arm as he tries to catch her.

" _TAMARA! Get ba-!"_ she slammed closed the mental link between Newt and herself.

As Tamara reached Minho and Alby, she grasped the latter by the arm, shouting at Minho to: "Come on!"

Minho wordlessly followed the girl's order and lets her lead him. The Asian boy glances behind him, meeting Newt's eyes as he watched with on with a defeated look. The doors closed.

Neither speak as they travelled further into the maze. Minho eventually had to stop, too tried from supporting the unconscious Alby the entire way back. The pair set Alby against the wall, Minho resting his hands on his knees; breathing heavily.

Tamara ignored him in favour of examining Alby's forehead, her eyes narrowed as it was clear he'd taken a hit to the head.

"What happened to him?"

Minho scoffs. "You've just sighed your death certificate and you're asking what happened to him?"

Tamara turn her gaze sharply onto Minho; lips nearly twitch into a sneer as she repeated: "What happened to him?"

Minho shot Tamara a look, in annoyance, in frustration, in anger, and in plain exhaustion. He sighed. "What does it look like? He got stung."

She licked her lips. "His head?"

Minho ran a hand through his hair, sighing again. "I did what I had to do."

It's was Tamara's turn to run a hand through her hair, letting out a deep breath as she racked her brain for something. Neither Minho or she would be able to carry Alby around all night, they'd all end up dead within minutes.

Tamara pushed herself to her feet. "Okay. Okay."

Icy orbs travel up the maze walls and then behind her to the other side and she's met with vines.  _Vines_.  _Yeah, I can work with that._  She waved a hand behind her at Minho, hitting his shoulder. "The vines. Help me with this."

Tamara grasped a hold of two and pulled with her entire weight, she had to make sure they wouldn't give way and let Alby fall to his death.

"What are you doing?" Minho hissed in confusion.

"We'll tie Alby up there for the night." Tamara explained in a rush, the words tumbling from her mouth as she turned towards him. "We gotta do this quick."

Minho lifted Alby, bringing him over to the opposite wall, spun around, held him up as Tamara used the two vines, wrapping them around Alby's chest. She made sure they were tight but not tight enough to constrict breathing and hurt or do any serious damage to Alby's ribs. Once they're secure, Minho set him down.

By the time they'd done that, night had hit, leaving the two in near pitch black darkness. However, they pressed on, grasping the other end and tugged; Tamara groaned at the strain that already pulled at her arms.

They froze as loud groans and screeches rumbled through the maze.

Minho exhaled sharply, Tamara's eyes snapped to him, his face was contorted into panic. "The maze is already changing."

 _That meant the grievers were out too_ ,  _fuck_ _,_  but Tamara's attention is on Minho; he looked down both ways, his breathing heavy with panic. He wants to run.  _Oh no_. Tamara watched as Minho backs away, his grasp on the vines loosening and she felt herself slide forwards.

"What are you doing? What are you doing?" she hissed, arms feeling like they were gonna pop out.

"We gotta go." Minho breathed. "We gotta go now!"

"No, no, just a little more and we'll tie it off!" Tamara snapped, trying to keep her voice low and not allow it to quiver. "Minho, stay with me. Stay with me, Minho. Just a little more, we're almost there!"

Minho looks at Tamara and she know that look; her heart sank.

"I'm sorry, Greenie."

He ran.  _Like a fucking coward,_  Tamara thought bitterly.

Tamara was overcome with the urge to scream but knew it would attract the wrong kind of attention. Her eyes stung but she drew in a breath, gritting her teeth as she turned back to Alby in determination. She was gonna do this with or without the bastard.

She pulled, backing away and Alby goes up. He was almost to a suitable height and Tamara grinned but that grin is gone when the sound clanking metal entered her ears; she felt the blood drain from her face.

_Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god_ _._ _Oh my god._

Her heart pounded painfully, beating so fast it feels like it's gonna burst right out of her chest.

The clanking got closer.

Tamara's foot slipped and she's pulled forwards but her feet don't hit wall, instead, the vines give way to a hidey-hole of sorts. Tamara spared a glance up at Alby, grasped higher on the vines and painfully maneuvered herself into the hole; her body moved on autopilot as her ears continued to hear the  _clank, clank, clank_  of the griever as it got closer and closer to Alby and her.

Once inside the hidey-hole, Tamara shove the vines back into place. Her jaw clenched and her teeth felt like they'd break as she used all her strength to make sure Alby remained in the air. She couldn't – she  _wouldn't_  allow Alby become griever food.

_Do they even eat us or just kill us? Fuck if I know._

At the back of her brain, a part of Tamara wanted to reach out to Newt but she couldn't- wouldn't let herself put him through that. If she did, if she let him know she was alive, he'd get his hope up but then she could get killed, pieced by the metal leg of a griever or stung by one.

Tamara's thoughts are cut off by the griever turning down the path she was in. She squeezed her eyes shut. She had to force herself to breathe.

Tamara's eyes fluttered open as the clanking was right next to her; jaw dropping open in a silent cry. Her eyes burned as they tracked the griever's four legs as it moves past her hiding spot.

She exhaled, arms shaking both from her racing blood and strain of holding Alby up. It was a miracle she was still able to do it, a part of her wanted to stay like that the entire night but the rational part knew she couldn't- he arms just wouldn't be able to take it.

Tamara waited several more moments until she could no longer hear the griever, then shuffled from the spot and used the strong looking cluster of vines to tie the two vines holding Alby up off on. She made sure there was no way in hell that it could come undone.

Tamara's shoulders pulsed painfully as she finally released the vines.

Backing up, Tamara glanced up at Alby and nodded to herself as he looked stable.

Tamara allowed her thoughts wonder to Minho, she glance down the passage he'd run down.  _I'm gonna hate myself for this_ , she mental groaned, shoulder slumping but started down it. She was gonna search for the idiot, possibly die doing it, but it wasn't gonna stop her now.

Tamara stiffened as shifting metals comes from behind, slowly glancing behind her as a rumble from a griever echoed from nearby. She dived down the passage to her right as the griever reappears from where it left.

Tamara press myself against the cluster of ivy that covered the wall, listening as the clank of its legs faded into the distance again. It was an idiotic move but she glanced after it. Tamara let out a quiet breath as the pathway was empty. All there was were the echoes of the maze changing in the distance.

She stepped out and glanced up at Alby once more, just for reassurance.

Tamara tensed again as the rumbles of the maze sounds close to her location, followed by a griever. Backing down the path she'd just hidden in, Tamara twist and continue down it – away from the screeches of grievers.

But her shoe hits a liquid that sounds like  _goo_? She paused, scrunching her nose at the sound it made. She glanced down as she lift her foot. What is it?

Her body froze as a low growl rumbled from behind and above. Tamara's lips parted and her eyes sting as the same goo falls on her shoulder.

_Oh my god, please no. No, no, no, nononono._

Hardly moving her head to glance at the green-tinted goo on her shoulder, her eyes slipped upwards and she twisted her head the rest of the way and Tamara choked at the sight of the griever above her. It leapt down, Tamara falling onto her butt with a wordless shout; crabbing backwards as it screeched at her, a large mouth with sharp teeth met her eyes.

Tamara was on her feet in seconds and ran, ran around a corner, then straight before turning right. The griever took a different turn from her.

It launched out in front her and she screamed. She turned left, then right, then left again. Tamara can't keep track as she made several more turns, coming to a four-way path. Her eyes are drawn to the darkest path, the sound of the griever the loudest there.

"Oh, shit!"

It comes from her left –from where she'd just come from. Her eyes are drawn to the wall of vines. She ran and used a piece of fallen stone to give her a boast as she jumped at the wall, she climbed with a speed she didn't think she had. Pulling herself onto the top of the ledge, a terrified shout left her throat as the griever snapped at her legs.

Tamara scramble to her feet, the griever followed. She took off again, given a sort of head start as the griever tried to get onto the second floor. She leapt over a gap, crying out as she hit the ground and rolled.

Tamara got back to her feet, climbed onto the large step to the right and she hardly managed to stop herself as she hit a drop.  _No, no, nonononono!_

She backed up and spun, ready to backtrack but the griever appeared and Tamara moved without much thought, running back towards the ledge and jumped. She hit the wall and for a moment she wasn't able to grasp any vines – but she did, it pulled at her arms as she hangs. A cry escaped as her left-hand stings, warm liquid dribbles down her palm and wrist.

 _I'd made it bleed again_.  _Fuck._

The griever leapt after her but wasn't able to stabiles itself and gets tangled in the vines. It screeched, trying to catch itself as it freefalls. Unfortunately, the vines that Tamara was holding onto came loose and she hit the ground, the air forced from her burning lungs; she gasped, trying to regain the air stolen.

Tamara untangle herself easily but the griever not so much. She crawled backwards, idiotically just watching as it tried to free itself- her mind blanked as she just watched as it screeched and fought against the vines. Finally, she scrambled to her feet and backed away, still unable to truly take her eyes off the griever-

Then hands grabbed her and she screamed but her jaw clamped shut as her eyes land on Minho.

_Minho._

"You're a crazy son of a bitch."

The duo both hesitate (for whatever shitty reason (again for Tamara)) staring at the griever with wide eyes as it manages to nearly get free.  _It's almost free._

"Come on, follow me." Minho gabbed her wrist, pulling Tamara along. When they got running, he released her.

They turned right again after reaching the end of the path they were on. The griever screeched behind them- it was definitely free now.

A rumble erupted beside them and Minho nodded, liking the sound of it because it meant- "It's changing. Come on, come on!"

He reached a changing pathway. "This section is closing. Come on." he ran down it, but Tamara hesitated, licking her lips and glanced behind her.

"Tamara!" Minho is at the other end, sounding horrified. "What are you waiting for?"

Okay- so she had a plan but please let it work.

"Get out of there!" Minho shouted, waving his arms at her. "Tamara!?"

Icy orbs find the griever at it rounded the corner, it roars at her and in return Tamara shouted: "Come on!"

It does, it comes running for her and Tamara only paused for a second before sprinting, sprinting down the ever-narrowing path with the griever right behind her. She watched Minho's horrified face. "Come on, Tamara! Don't look back!"

Of cause she fucking do, who wouldn't? But it doesn't stop her; she pushed herself on but she can feel her legs as they threaten to give out and she shouted wordlessly, pushing herself impossibly faster.

"Come on! Come on, Greenie! Let's go!  _Tamara!"_

She crashed into Minho and they hit the floor, the griever roared and screeched. She can't bring herself to look as a sickening crunch followed. The gurgle from the griever meets Tamara's ears and Minho's grip tightened on the her.

**~§~**

At Tamara's suggestion, the duo return to Alby and climb inside the hidey-hole she'd found by accident. Neither get any sleep, the worry of a griever ever present and heavy on their minds- and well the spot was hardly big enough for both because while Tamara was small, Minho wasn't with his muscles.

Tamara lay on her side, facing Minho as she bit down on her right hand. Her left throbbed painfully- her entire body throbbed painfully actually and she was left feeling drained. The adrenaline rush having faded into nothingness.

But luckily for them both, the night passed by mostly in a blur.

 _As soon as we get the Glade, I'm going to bed,_ Tamara promised herself,  _don't care what anyone else thinks._

At some point, when the familiar dull morning blue lights the sky once more, Minho gently nudged Tamara to crawl out. The pair hadn't heard from a griever in well over half hour and the maze had long since stopped moving. It was a good sign.

Once they'd climbed form the hole, they sat there and let their minds just… settle.

Minho chuckling made Tamara turn back to him. "Damn you really are a crazy son of a bitch."

He collapsed onto his back as he continued to laugh. Tamara snorted, dragging both hands through her hair then her face- she cared little about her injuries at this point, they were going to need some serious cleaning when they got back though.

Minho finally stood after several minutes of the just reveling in the fact they'd survived a night in the maze. Something that they'd said was impossible to do, yet here the pair were. Tamara had even managed to kill a griever, Minho could hardly believe it. Had someone told him yesterday (or any day before that) that someone would willing run into the maze as it was closing and then somehow manage to kill a griever- he would have banished them without a thought.

"Come on, gates are due to open any moment now."

Tamara groaned as she stood and the pair worked on safety getting Alby back onto the ground.

"I'm so sleeping the entire day away when we get back." she uttered as they lift Alby. Minho snorted in agreement.

They both nearly dropped Alby several times, but could anyone really blame them, their bodies were too tired from no sleep and the running.

They turned the corner for the Glade, the sight of the boys scattering meets their eyes. Chuck was looking back at the boys leaving. He'd not given up hope, Tamara found a fond smile creeping onto her face at the thought.

Then Zart's stopping, turning to look at the duo (and unconscious Alby) and uttering. "No way."

Chuck turned, grinning widely as he shouts in relief: "Yeah!"

That prompted everyone else to turn, immediately rushing to the entrance as Minho and Tamara push themselves that last little bit.

Jeff and Clint jumped into action, helping the duo by taking Alby. Tamara's joints groaned in relief. She ignored everyone to help lower Alby to the ground.

"Easy." Tamara found herself hissing, their movements a bit rough for her to keep up with at this point. Zart, Frypan, and another who's name Tamara doesn't know yet helped set Alby properly on the ground as she let her knees give out and fell onto her butt.

Newt knelt beside her, hand resting on her shoulder.

"What happened out there?"

"How did you guys make it out?"

Tamara just coughed, trying to get air into her tired and burning lungs.

"You saw a griever?" Chuck asked, not even bothering to hide the excited tone.

Tamara swallowed, nodding. "Yeah, I saw one."

Our eyes all flickered to Minho as he scoffs, but Minho's eyes are on Tamara, shooting her a look of disbelief. "See one? You didn't just shucking see one, She-bean, you kill it."

Everyone's eyes moved from Minho to Tamara, who awkwardly looked back at everyone. She felt uncomfortable under all their stares of disbelieve and awe.

"Fuck man." Frypan vocalized what everyone else was thinking.

maze as it was closing and then somehow manage to kill a griever- he would have banished them without a thought.

"Come on, gates are due to open any moment now."

Tamara groaned as she stood and the pair worked on safety getting Alby back onto the ground.

"I'm so sleeping the entire day away when we get back." she uttered as they lift Alby. Minho snorted in agreement.

They both nearly dropped Alby several times, but could anyone really blame them, their bodies were too tired from no sleep and the running.

They turned the corner for the Glade, the sight of the boys scattering meets their eyes. Chuck was looking back at the boys leaving. He'd not given up hope, Tamara found a fond smile creeping onto her face at the thought.

Then Zart's stopping, turning to look at the duo (and unconscious Alby) and uttering. "No way."

Chuck turned, grinning widely as he shouts in relief: "Yeah!"

That prompted everyone else to turn, immediately rushing to the entrance as Minho and Tamara push themselves that last little bit.

Jeff and Clint jumped into action, helping the duo by taking Alby. Tamara's joints groaned in relief. She ignored everyone to help lower Alby to the ground.

"Easy." Tamara found herself hissing, their movements a bit rough for her to keep up with at this point. Zart, Frypan, and another who's name Tamara doesn't know yet helped set Alby properly on the ground as she let her knees give out and fell onto her butt.

Newt knelt beside her, hand resting on her shoulder.

"What happened out there?"

"How did you guys make it out?"

Tamara just coughed, trying to get air into her tired and burning lungs.

"You saw a griever?" Chuck asked, not even bothering to hide the excited tone.

Tamara swallowed, nodding. "Yeah, I saw one."

Our eyes all flickered to Minho as he scoffs, but Minho's eyes are on Tamara, shooting her a look of disbelief. "See one? You didn't just shucking see one, She-bean, you kill it."

Everyone's eyes moved from Minho to Tamara, who awkwardly looked back at everyone. She felt uncomfortable under all their stares of disbelieve and awe.

"Fuck man." Frypan vocalized what everyone else was thinking.


	4. The Gathering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or: Newt gets confused about why he was more terrified about Tamara being trapped in the maze then Minho and an unconscious Alby when suddenly a wild girl appears.

Newt couldn't get rid of the image of Tammie running- it was burned into his mind, the way his fingers just missed the crock of her arm as she leapt into the maze as the doors got closer and closer to being closed. The sight of her grasping Alby, shouting "Come on!" to Minho and leading them back into the maze.

As the doors were coming to a close, Newt met Minho's eyes- his eyes full of fear, not just for him, for Alby, for Tamara. A three-day-old Greenie- the first female Glader.

Newt can recall subconsciously shouting out to Tamara telepathically as she managed to just avoid being snagged by his hand but she'd slammed close the link like a door (Newt winced at the feeling, it was loud and hurt) and he was left feeling empty as the doors closed, trapping Minho, Alby, and Tammie in the maze; a maze that changed and was infested with grievers.

Newt understood the bitterness he felt for Alby and Minho- he'd known them for three years.  _Three_. Tamara, however, was only on her third day but he felt the worst about her. A hollow feeling crept in and it felt like his lungs had been ripped from his chest.

Newt dragged his hands through his hair, pulling until it tugged at his roots. His knees shook and it took everything in him not to collapse to the ground.

A tiny brief thought of how he believed Tamara looks a little reckless was a  _bloody buggin' understatement._

He let out a deep shaky exhale, his arms dropped to his sides. A hand landed on his shoulder and a quick glance revealed it to be Clint. A worried look with a silent question.

He shook his head.

The Gladers that stood at the gate all began to disperse, Newt stepped back to follow but paused. Chuck was still standing there. He rubbed the back of his heck, unsure of what to do or say to him.

"Chuck." he managed to keep an even voice.

Chucked turned to face Newt, his eyes rimmed red with tears but he looked confident. "They'll make it."

It's not a question, but a statement – a fact.

Newt can't help but envy Chuck in that moment, yet also pity him.

"I'm sorry, Chuck." Newt shook his head. "No one survives a night in the maze."

His look wavers but he remains firm. "They will – Tamara  _will_  and she won't let anything happen to Alby or Minho, I know it."

Newt chest hurt at their names, at  _her_  name; he sharply exhaled.

But Chuck was right to have confidence because as Clint, Jeff, Frypan and Zart all helped to move Alby to Homestead that morning. Tamara and Minho are still sat on the ground, bruised and battered – not to mention tired, but alive and Newt doesn't think he's felt such happiness before.

 _They'd survived_. Tamara even managed to kill a griever.

Minho reached over and grasped Tamara's shoulder, a grin stretched across his face. "You good, She-bean?"

Tamara's gaze just slid from the ground to the Keeper, she nodded silently. Both Keeper of the Runners and Second-in-command can clearly see the gears whirling about within her head.

"How 'bout you slintheads get your arses to Homestead so Jeff or Clint can look you over." Newt finally managed to find his voice since first watching the three cross the maze line. His eyes flickered back and forth, unsure of who he was more worried about- they were both battered and littered with scratches.

Tamara's face injury had been knocked at some point during the night, if Newt took the sore red tint (it luckily hadn't bleed) that surrounded the edge of it said anything thing. No doubt her hand was in a similar state going by the bloodied bandage and sleeve.

Both push themselves to their feet, groaning as they do. Newt grasped Tamara's arm as she swayed, lids dropping worryingly.

"Tammie?" he asked softly. Her eyes are glazed with undeniable tiredness as they slid to meet Newt's, she doesn't answer – she didn't need too and Minho stepped up the other side and helped Newt support her as they start towards Homestead.

As soon as they passed the doorframe into the Med-jack's room, Jeff silently points to two spare cots, his eyes never leaving Alby as he and Clint worked to tie him up.

Tamara was out the moment Newt and Minho laid her in the cot- truthfully, if asked, Newt would say she'd passed out before they even made it to Homestead and it was mostly him and Minho walking and carrying her there.

Minho collapsed into the other cot with a groan, he was just as exhausted looking as Tamara and Newt didn't doubt it for a moment.

Newt's eyes flickered back to Tamara- watching the rise and fall of her breathing chest as she slept. Minho was near sleep as his eyes moved back to him before Newt started towards the door. He lingered, his sight landing on the room with Alby. He swallowed.

**~§~**

Newt ran a hand through his hair as he made his way towards Homestead to wake both Minho and Tamara. Gally had kicked up a fuss hours earlier about Tamara and how she'd broken one of their rules. He called for a Gathering at that moment but Newt shut him down- "Let them sleep, slinthead; 'nless you want 'em both passing out on us. Don't want that, now do we?"

Gally gave in but it was agreed that the Gathering would be held that afternoon.

Newt tugged a hand through his hair as he arrived at the door of Homestead with the job of waking the two put for the Gathering but as he arrived, Minho slid through the door frame. He looked refreshed after having slept the entire day.

Minho grinned when his eyes landed on Newt. "Hey shank."

"Nice sleep?" the blond smirked in return, brow raised. Minho laughs quietly, shoulders shaking.

"The absolute best. She-bean's still sleeping though." Minho answered, sparing a glance over his shoulder. Newt follow his gaze to Tamara, she still had the bloody shirt but her wounds had been cleaned not long after Newt had left. "Can't blame her. She had it worst then me. I wasn't the one being chased."

Newt's eyes snapped back to Minho. "What?"

"Hmm?" Minho's eyes left Tamara to meet the Second in Command's. "I heard Tamara being chased for a good five minutes before I got to her. She managed to get the thing all tangled in vines after a fall. She's got some light bruising on her back from her own, nothing serious though."

Newt released a breath of relief he'd not realized he was holding. Newt ignored Minho's smirk.

"Any injuries?" Newt hadn't been around long enough to ask about Tamara or Minho's, just Alby's and he'd not been back to Homestead since dropping them off that morning.

"Just some scratches and sore muscles." Minho answered. He licked his lips, glancing back at Tamara again before returning to Newt.

"I'm gonna see if I can propose we make Tamara Keeper of the Runners." Minho suddenly said.

Newt's head snapped back to him. "W-what on-!"

"Hold on, listen to what I have to say first, yeah?" Minho interrupted, holding a hand up.

Newt closed his mouth with a deep sigh, nodding in a  _'go on'_  gesture.

"I'm gonna ask to make her Keeper cause it's better to aim high, right? More of a chance of them voting to make her  _just_  a Runner. Don't know if I'll get the actual chance to but it's what I'm gonna aim for anyway." He explained.

Newt found his brows raised as realization flickered onto his face at the explanation, it  _was_  a good idea.

"And after last night, I doubt anyone can say she wouldn't make it as a Runner either." Minho added.

Newt found himself nodding in agreement. "Doubt she'd reject it, Greenie took 'n immediate interest at the mere mention of a Runner."

Minho grinned. "Oh yeah, she's gonna be good."

Minho slapped Newt's shoulder and starts towards the Kitchen, he through a "see you in a bit" over his shoulder after muttering about getting some food. Newt snorted, letting him go- he had more important things to do, like wake Tamara and demand an answer for her stupidity.

 _Speaking of Tamara_ , his eyes found her form again as he stepped into Homestead. Newt lent against the door frame of the entrance to the infirmary for a moment, she'd rolled onto her side at some point during the day, curling up into a ball. Her lips part as she inhaled before exhaling through her nose, she looked so peaceful that Newt didn't want to wake her up.

But he shook his head and approached; crouching before the bed, resting a hand on her shoulder and shook it. Tamara groaned softly and snuggled further into the pillow. Newt rolled his eyes.

Resting more of his weight on the bed frame, ignoring the way his leg protested slightly, he shook her shoulder more firmly. This time she scrunched her face up before her lids fluttered open. She grimaced with a groaned at the light.

She blinked several times as she slowly came back to the land of conscious, her icy eyes slid up to meet chocolate brown.

"New..t?" she slurred.

His lips twitched upwards.  _It was kind of ador-_   _I'm meant to be angry with the bloody twat._

Newt shuffled to give more space as Tamara sat up, he listened as her bones popped and cracked. She sighed. Her right cheek had become creased from where she'd spent so long laying on it and her hair was in need a brush too. She mostly fixed that by running a hand through it.

She glances around, taking note of the daylight. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Good portion of the day, 'bout seven hours roughly." Newt answered. She blinked.

Seeing there was space on the bed, Newt shifted to sit on it to ease his leg. He licked his lips.

"You're 'n idiot, y'know that right?" he voiced after a few moments of silence. Tamara glanced at him but didn't say anything and Newt don't know if that infuriated him more or not compared to if she'd said something.

Newt gave an agitated sigh. "What don't you understand about don't go into the maze?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I wasn't going to leave them to face that by themselves, Minho wouldn't have thought of tying Alby up – he was panicking too much."

"That doesn't matter." Newt glared. "It was stupid and we nearly lost three people because of it."

Tamara hissed lowly. "And I don't care if it was stupid, Newt – it doesn't matter, what's done it done, yeah? That's what you said yesterday morning."

He bared his teeth, standing and whirling to face her. " _Don't._ Don't use my words against me, Tamara. Not in this kind of situation. The maze is a fucking death wish at any time of the day, we have rules in place so people like you don't be stupid bloody slintheads and get 'emselves killed."

God, Newt want to throttle her back and forth until she understood the fact that she could have  _died_  last night.  _Why couldn't she take this seriously? What didn't she understand that entering the maze was forbidden for a reason?_

Tamara stood, a snarl pulling at her own lips. "You're right, I could have died – but I didn't, alright? I'm impulsive, Newt, I think on the spot and I knew neither of them were going to make it – Minho needed someone with a level head. I ran in with my head on straight, yeah? I wasn't panicking, I knew Alby needed to be put somewhere hidden, Minho fucking  _ran_  out on me because of a griever that dared to  _screech_  nearby. He left me alone to finish lifting and tying a guy nearly double my weight and you wanna know the most important part, Newt?"

The blond clenched his jaw and didn't say anything as Tamara sighed, her snarl disappeared into the familiar neutral one he was accustomed to seeing on Tamara. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat. For anyone else in that position, Zart, Frypan, Clint, Jeff,  _you_  – hell even Gally."

A hand found itself in his hair and he tugged tightly, because he wanted to argue- he wanted Tamara to  _understand_ , despite what she thinks was right, she doesn't get a free pass with the rules – the rules applied to everyone and that included Tamara.

But her words made Newt's chest clench painfully because this girl, the Greenie, his Tammie had only been here four days- hardly enough time to truly and properly form actual bonds with the people around her and yet none of them, who's know Alby and Minho the longest, would dare such a thing.

Newt dragged his hands down his face.

"Why didn't you tell me you were fine, at any point durin' the night?" Newt found his voice unwantedly cracked as he finally asked the question that had been eating away at him all day.

Tamara averted her gaze to the floor, lips pursed and she formed a guarded expression (an expression that Newt wanted  _gone_ \- because she seemed to always fall behind it whenever she'd expression a certain amount of emotion and while she didn't do it during her panic attacks, she'd come off numb to everything afterwards. But the main point was that Newt hated it). She exhaled, sitting back on the bed again. "I couldn't… I  _wouldn't_  put you through that."

For a moment, Newt thought he'd stopped breathing; the burn in his chest reminded him to exhale and take a new breath. His lips parted but no words left.

Tamara ducked her head. "How could I let you know I was fine when the next minute I could be impaled by a griever? You'd be standing at the gate the next morning, your hopes up, but I'd never appear because I was dead. It wouldn't be fair on you."

Newt choked on air, squeezing his eyes shut as they stung. He rubbed his face roughly, trying to stop his crying as he drew in a breath.

"You're 'n idiot."

Tamara gave a low chuckle as she glanced up with eyes rimmed red but no tears. "Yeah, I know."

The duo spent the next few minutes in silence, reveling in the argument we'd just had.

"Righ'." Newt finally said, Tamara glanced up again. "There's gonna be a Gathering soon to discuss what punishment you'll be gettin' for your actions. At worst, you'll get a few days in the Slammer."

She nodded silently and stood, following Newt out the door. He led her to the familiar building in the corner. As they walked, Minho jogged over to join them. None of the three said anything on the trip. Arriving, Newt spot everyone was already here, he pointed Tamara to the chair in the center where she sat.

Once Tamara was seated and the door was closed, Gally didn't waste a second and jumped right in. "Things are changing- there's no denying that. First, Ben gets stung in broad daylight and then Alby." Gally turned to face Tamara who stared back. "And now our first  _female_  Greenie here, has taken it upon herself to go into the maze. Which is a clear violation of our rules here."

"Yeah." Frypan spoke up protesting, Newt glanced over his shoulder at him. "But she saved Alby's life."

"Did she?" Gally met Newt's eyes with a pointed look. The blond ran his tongue over his teeth at the look and implication.

Gally turned to the boys, pointing at Tamara as he continued. "For three years, we have coexisted with these things. And now, you've killed one of them. Who knows what that could mean for us."

"What do you suggest we do?" Newt tilted hid head, humoring the Keeper of the Builders.

He answered in a heartbeat, "She has to be punished."

The Gladers all began voicing their opinions at his words, trying to all speak over one another and Newt sighed, rubbing his inner eye. However, he was glad that at least half, from what it sounded like, agreed with the thought Gally was being a slinthead about this and trying to make a much large deal out of it than necessary, despite what Newt said to Tamara earlier.

"Minho." Newt glanced over to him, a subtle way to get him to mention his idea. The crowd fell silent as he spoke. "You were there with her. What do you think?"

Minho's eyes scanned the room, shifting his weight as he pondered on his words for a moment. Newt knew he wasn't going to go with his original plan.

He exhaled. "I think… in all the time we've been here no one has  _ever_  killed a griever before." everyone turned their gaze onto Tamara, whose own was solely on Minho. "When I turned tail and ran this dumb shank stayed behind to help Alby. Look, I don't know if she's brave or stupid." there were a few chuckles. "But whatever it is, we need more of it. I say we make her a Runner."

It got the chatter started again but Newt's eyes were on Tamara, watching the way her eyes flicked back to Minho in obvious interest at his words.

 _Oh, she definitely going to take the chance_ , he hummed.

"Minho, let's not jump the gun, here." Frypan added, sounding mostly frustrated and fed up with everything that had happened.

Despite the chattering of both agreement or disagreement, Newt couldn't keep the smirk from twitching onto his face as he shifted, listening to everyone.

"If you want to throw the newbie a parade, that's fine." Gally snapped. "Go ahead. But if there is one thing I know about the maze, it is that you do not-"

There was the familiar rumble that shook the ground, that was followed by the unmistakable horn of the box.

Everyone paused as they listened to the horn again.

Newt share a glance with Gally and pushing himself from the pole, rushing up the stairs and out the door with everyone following.

The horn continued, it  _was_  the box. But that was impossible. It had never done this before- so why the change?

Gally and Newt ran ahead of everyone towards the box's door, the blond could hear the chatter of everyone else as they ran after them. As he arrived, the doors slid open and Newt found himself pausing again as he eyes landed on what was inside the box.

There was nothing but a person.

_A girl._

Gally and Newt reached down, pulling open the fence and the Second-in-Command immediately leapt down. He had to be dreaming, right? He stood there for a moment, just taking in the fact there was an unconscious girl in the box.

"Newt, what do you see?"

"It's a girl." he uttered, glancing up at everyone.

He glanced back down at her and noticed a lack of movement and well  _breathing_  – or any that was obvious anyway. "I think she's dead?"

"What's in her hand?" Gally pointed out.

Newt spared a glance up at him, spotting Tamara standing there. A confused glint entered her eyes but Newt also recognized a dash of familiarity in there too.  _Interesting._

He knelt, pulling the piece of paper from her hand that Gally had noticed. Newt unfolded it and frown at the content written on it, he read it aloud: " _She's the last one... ever_ …What the bloody hell does that mean?"

Suddenly the girl gasped awake and Newt flinched backwards barely keeping a shout from leaving his mouth at the scare.

She fell back, her breathing heavy. Her eyes flicker about before settling on someone and uttered: "Tamara."

And she promptly fell unconscious again.

_Okay._

Glancing up, Newt watched as everyone turned to look at the only other female, whose face is scrunched up into confusion as much as everyone else. She glanced up and them all before looking to Gally.

And of cause, Newt thinks bitterly, Gally just  _has_  to speak: "Do you still think I'm overreacting?"


	5. Distrustfulness and the Griever Cylinder

The Gladers had little difficulty getting the girl out from inside the box. Newt shooed off any boy that wasn't needed and sent them back to work, for Tamara that thankfully included Gally. The Keeper left but not before shooting a glare of suspicion her way.

Tamara was hardly surprised when Newt asked her to come with them to Homestead. As she trailed after them, Tamara began to nibble on her thumbnail, watching as they carried the raven to Homestead. The brunette watched her black hair swish back and forth as bolts of familiarity tingled through her, the girls piercing warm blue eyes Tamara recognized from her hazy dreams.

That sent worry clenching at her chest because if she was the girl from her dream, then she worked for  _them_  too. Tamara pondered on the dream, the the distrustfulness she felt from her, if this girl  _was_  Tamara's dream girl. The brunette paused at that, scrunching her nose,  _that was worded wrong_. If the girl was from her dreams then could Tamara (and the Gladers) trust her?

Tamara lingered in the doorway as she's placed on the bed.

But if she didn't then Tamara would be unfairly judging her for something she'd done before her memory wipe. She'd would be a hypocrite if she immediately gave her the cold shoulder but that also brought forth the fact she'd gasped Tamara's name.

 _Her name_.

It made her chest hurt as she'd looked at her, Tamara's chest prickled painfully with some sort of emotion that she couldn't name but it  _hurt_. It hurt so much Tamara wanted to curl up into a ball and never talk to anyone again in fear of someone else provoking such emotion.

Eventually, only Newt, Minho and Tamara were left in the room, Newt having dismissed everyone else after pondering on the girl's state. They would have to wait until the girl awoke, but they weren't sure when she'd awaken.

Newt crosses his arms as Tamara come into the room further. His eyes portray what he wants to ask before he even asked.

"She familiar to you, Tammie?"

Tamara's gaze slid from Newt to the girl as she moved until she was stood next to the cot where she slept. Despite the painful emotion she provoked, she also brought forth a warmth that Tamara couldn't explain either; she reached forward and brushed some hair from her face.

To Tamara she was very beautiful and a closer inspection at her face, Tamara could  _possibly_  confirm that it was the girl from her dream.

"I-I… I think she's the girl from my dreams?" Tamara stammered, the statement more a question.

That caught Newt's (who straightened, body tensing) and most certainly Minho's attention.

"Your dreams?" Minho beat Newt to the question.

Tamara pursed her lips and nodded. She stood up straight and turned toward them. "Uh, yeah. I've been seeing her in my dreams – at least I think it's her? My dreams are hazy at best, she definitely feels-" Tamara grimaced slightly. "-familiar."

"You… wince?" Minho questioned, brows furrowed in confusion; he glanced between Newt and Tamara as he continued. "So the familiarity isn't good?"

Tamara shrugged, just as confused as them.

"When we were talking yesterday mornin', Tammie, about the previous you." Newt started. Tamara's gaze shifted back to him, there's an odd expression on his face as he stared at the girl, an expression that she can't quite put a name too.

 _That was happening a lot recently_ , she mentally sighed.

His brown orbs flickered to Tamara as he continued. "'Bout how you felt you couldn't trust the people in your dreams, this could mean that she worked for the creators too."

"Too?" Minho questioned, looking more and more lost as the conversation continues. What were they talking about? What conversation?

Tamara nodded.

"And whatever happened before your memory wipe, she could've been involved. I'd bet anything that she's the one you called out to on your first night." Newt finished.

"So~" Tamara drew out, briefly pondering on her words. "If she is the girl, what are we gonna do? Cause she's in the same situation as us now, right? We can't just treat her unfairly just because I feel distrustful towards her."

Newt pursed his lips as he rubbed his forehead, looking unsure about the entire conversation and how to deal with it. He had a lot on his plate already and now this girl gets sent up-

"Can someone please explain to the very confused Minho here?" Minho raised a hand and Tamara snorted in amusement. "And if she's familiar, why didn't you mention it earlier?"

The brunette shot him a deadpan look. "And give Gally another reason to hate me? Yeah, I'm not going to say anything like that with him around."

Minho snorted, a smirk twitched onto his lips before glanced between us. "Are you gonna answer my other question as well?"

Tamara glance to Newt,  _'Should we tell him?'_

' _If you like, don't think it'll 'ffect much. Minho's trustful, he won't tell no one 'nless you give it the okay beforehand.'_  Newt answered with a light shrug.

Tamara let out a deep breath.

"Since arriving I've been having vivid dreams about before the Glade," Tamara started- it was the best place too. "It was only the night before that I remembered something from them though. Places and people, she was the most recurring person. Either way, everything in my dreams screams that I can't trust her and the entire thing just leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

"But you said you heard her muttering the first night." Minho pointed out, his gaze back on Newt. "How's that possible? Your beds not near She-bean's."

Tamara bit her lower lip at the question, they were gonna have to mention their telepathic ability. Newt pursed his lips at the question but didn't speak, leaving the explanation to Tamara.

_Thanks._

Tamara licked her lips. "Okay, this is gonna sound crazy but somehow Newt and I can talk telepathically."

Minho just stared, his eyes move back and forth between us. The blond's expression was passive as he met Minho's gaze.

"Seriously?" He looked doubtful, not that either was expecting anything else. "You're not pulling my leg are you, you shanks?"

"I wish." Newt muttered, before speaking louder. "We can prove it if you want."

Minho nodded, grinning lightly. "Please because if you're serious this is gonna be awesome."

 _'Tell me something that only Minho would know.'_  Tamara asked.

Newt smirked and Tamara could already tell this was gonna be amusing. _'At one of the earlier bonfires, Minho got so drunk that he passed out on top of Gally.'_

She couldn't stop the snort of amusement and Minho's eyes narrowed as she turned towards him. Newt continued to smirk as he watched on.

"Newt told me that once you got so drunk that you passed out on-."

"Alright!" Minho cut in, cheeks tinting pink, he added: "I believe you."

Tamara snickered as Minho turned to glare at Newt, who still bore the smirk.

"Why'd you tell She-bean  _that."_ Minho huffed.

"She asked for something, so I gave her something. Thought I might as well get a little amusement from it." Newt answered smiling.

Tamara ran her tongue over her teeth as she remembered the piece of paper that came up with the girl. She questioned: "What about the note?"

Newt's attention moved back to her as he tugged the note from his pocket and opened it up again. He exhaled as he rereads it before shoving it back into his pocket. "We'll worry about it later."

"I think we should worry about it now." Tamara argued, a frown tugged at her brows.

"We've got enough to deal with at the moment." Newt disagreed. Her frown deepened.

"She's right, Newt." Minho agreed with his own frown. "If the box isn't going down, and I'm not that much of a pessimist but we gotta think realistically- how long do you think we can last?"

"Let's not jump to any conclusions." Newt sighed, waving an arm at the unconscious raven. "We'll just wait 'ntil she wakes up and see what she knows. Somebody has gotta have some answers around here."

Tamara pursed her lips and glanced out the door, towards the maze gates that would be closing soon.

"What should we do in the meantime then?" Minho crossed his arms.

"You guys said no one's ever killed a griever before, right?" she asked, turning back to them.

They turn to her in return.

"Yeah, why?" Minho nodded.

"Why don't we go and look at it tomorrow then?" she inquired; they stared, "What?"

"Tammie." Newt sighed. "We've already had this buggin' conversation – you can't go into the maze,  _not again_."

"Why don't we just make her a Runner already." Minho insisted, throwing his arms up. "That way we can just get on with it."

Newt glanced to the ceiling for a moment as if asking for divine intervention which he wasn't going to receive then nodded with a sigh. "Alright. Starting tomorrow, you're officially a Runner."

"Thanks." Tamara smiled, Newt returned it. She opened her mouth to add more but the girl shuffled. The trio's gazes snapped to her, watching as she moved, inhaling and exhaling deeply but nothing more.

But then Tamara twitched as a sudden piercing pain pulsed at the forefront of her head, she hissed; pressing a hand to her forehead with clenched her teeth. Her ears rushed and tingled with a strange sensation, her mind felt like she'd bashed her head against a door several times.

For a brief moment, Tamara thought she heard something but couldn't place it.

"Tammie?" Newt's had moved to stand in front of her, worry plastered on his face. It took Tamara a moment to realize she'd closed her eyes tightly and blinked them open. "You okay?"

Tamara shakily exhaled, biting her lip as the  _murmuring_  reappears – it was a voice.

' _Tamara.'_

She choked on her spit and flinched from Newt's grasp (who continued to frown in worry) and she fled the room; ignoring both Newt and Minho as they called after her in confusion. She felt suffocated, the room suddenly too stuffy. Her brain pulsed angrily at the voice and her eyes stung. She had to get out of there, had to put distance between the girl and herself.

It was the only idea Tamara could think of to ease the pain.

The same painful prickling sensation from before came back and she gulped up the fresh air as she leant against the wall of Homestead. Her body shook as her shoulders slumped, another set of feet come down the stairs and stop at the door.

"Tammie?" Newt questioned softly.

She swallowed the lump lodged in her throat and glanced at him from the corner of her eyes but it put too much strain on them so she turned the rest of the way.

"I-I... I think I just-" Tamara choked, unable to get hers words out.

' _What is it?'_  Newt murmured, taking another step closer.

She let out a shaky breath, Newt's presence helped to ease the pain that pulsated inside her head. Newt's presence was soothing and just felt _right_. Nothing like the voice – the  _girl's_ voice. Whoever she was, Tamara didn't care anymore as long as she never tried to speak to her telepathically again.

' _I think she- I think she tried to speak to me.'_  Tamara breathed.

Newt stiffened and frowned, one of concern and worry.

' _Is that why you freaked?'_

' _No, no- it hurt.'_  Tamara corrected with a lick her lips.  _'A_ lot _. Like someone had hit me round the head with a fucking wooden bat.'_

Newt's frown developed into something more, something that Tamara couldn't name yet  _again_. He reached up and gripped her shoulder, rubbing it reassuringly.

The gates rumbled closed in the background and Tamara subconsciously leaned into Newt's grip.

**~§~**

Dinner was announced and Tamara felt and heard her stomach growl which made her realize she'd not eaten anything the entire day. The thought made her stomach clench painfully.

Minho came walking out the room and the trio made their way towards the kitchen.

After fetching her food, Tamara perched next to Chuck, who beamed up at her. She gave a small smile in return and ruffled his hair, which he playfully whined about.

There was little chatter. Tamara, while she felt hungry, couldn't bring herself to want to eat. Minho nudged her shoulder and she glanced up at her.

"Gonna need to eat if you wanna run tomorrow." he murmured lowly and Tamara nodded, realizing he was right. She took a mouthful and missed the grateful look Newt sent Minho, to which Minho nodded back.

**~§~**

The next morning, after eating breakfast, Tamara followed Minho as he led her to the Runner's room while tugging at the sleeves of the new shirt she'd been given. It was a guy's one since they didn't have any woman's but she cared little about it.

Entering the room, Tamara noticed the distinct lack of any other Runners. She voiced it.

"They all quit last night. After Alby got stung, they're not in any hurry to get back out there." Minho answered with a sigh, shuffling through a few things before obviously finding what it was as he turned.

He held out some boots. "Size five?"

Tamara nodded (her shoes size was one of those random facts she knew about herself), nabbing the running shoes from him and made quick work of swapping them with her normal ones. Next Minho handed her some Runner gear and taught her how to attach the water canister to the back.

Minho went onto explain where the griever was located on the large map in the centre of the room. It was the entire map of the maze, Tamara realized in seconds. A  _complete_  map.

"I thought you were still mapping it? At least that's what it sounded like anyway." she inquired, brows raised with interest.

Minho clenched his jaw as he answered. "No, there's nothing left to map. I've run every inch of it myself. Every cycle. Every pattern."

She exhaled with a curious tilt of her head. "Why haven't you told anyone this?"

"It was Alby's call. People needed to believe we had a chance of getting out." Minho explained, his lips quirked up as he continued: "But maybe now... we might have a real lead."

Once they'd gotten ready, Tamara swung by the Med-jacks to have her wounds clean before heading towards the still closed gates, Newt and Chuck were stood at the entrance waiting for the Runners to arrive. The latter of the two stared up at the large gates that began to open as the Runners got closer with a mix of emotions mostly consisting of fear and worry but also curiosity.

Chuck turned as Newt greet the Runners. Tamara noticed the look in Chuck's eyes, the nervousness at the sight of the icy-covered walls. She pat his shoulder and he glanced up at her. "You okay?"

He nodded, "M'fine. Good luck."

"Thanks."

Tamara glanced to Newt.

' _At least try and listen to Minho.'_  there's a teasing tone in this voice and Tamara found her lips curling upwards into a smile.

" _No promises."_  she responded in a playful tone

Newt smile, teeth peeking from behind his lips.

Minho and Tamara ran for roughly two hours. Changing direction and paths to get to where she'd killed the griever. They had to take a slightly longer route as it had been a day since and that meant the maze had changed again. Tamara found the run admittedly soothing almost, neither of them spoke – there was no need and the only sound was their feet against the stone floor and light wind that brushed through the upper vines.

Tamara yelped and nearly bumped into Minho as he stopped abruptly, she followed his eyes to the right and spotted what it was he was looking at. The griever. They'd arrived.

For a moment, both paused- just taking the sight in. Tamara scrunched her nose up at the odor.

"It smells disgusting already." she grimaced. Minho made a sound of agreement, his own face scrunching up.

Tamara stepped closer to examine it, being careful not to touch the slime from it. A flashing red light caught her attention. "There's something in there."

She also took notice of the low beeping sound emitting from it.

"You mean, besides a Griever pancake?" Tamara glanced back to see Minho was smirking and she hummed with amusement.

"Obviously."

She got closer to the rock and slipped her arm into the gap.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" Minho demanded, revisiting the urged to pull her back.

"Hold on." she grunted, leaning in further and grimaced as her hand touched flesh but then her fingertips touch something cool and smooth– something metal.

_Shhh-inkkk_

The leg jolted and Tamara screamed, flinching back. Minho did the same, swearing under his breath once it stopped moving.

"Reflex?" Minho questioned breathlessly.

"I think so." Tamara's voice quivered as she felt her heart pound against her rib cage from the scare. She swallowed and shook her head to refocus. "Either way, I did touch something metal – some sort of cylinder shape. But I can't get it out how it is at the moment. We'll probably have to pull the leg out."

"Okay, come on. Let's try and pull it out." Minho nodded in agreement.

"On three?" she inquired. Minho nodded.

"One, two, three!" they pulled, groaning. It would have been easier had the pair had more people but eventually, they managed to pull the metal leg out. The beeping was louder now.

It was Minho's turn to get a closer inspection of it, he knelt next to where the beeping was coming from and lifted a piece of the griever up that revealed the red flashing light. He used his other hand and peeled off the flesh (it sounded disgusting and Tamara nearly gagged) that covered the cylinder she'd spotted beforehand.

"What the hell is it?" Minho examined it. He twisted about before turning it over to reveal a digital rectangle with the red number seven on.

"Interesting." she murmured and glanced at her watch. "We should start heading back."

Minho glanced back at her and nodded. "You're right."

**~§~**

"Nice of you to join us." Gally greeted sarcastically as the Runner duo entered the Gathering hall. "You two enjoy your little field trip?"

"What the hell Gally? You think you can call a Keeper meeting without me?" Minho glared, annoyance filled his voice.

"Last time I checked the Greenie wasn't a Keeper, you mind waiting outside." Gally shot Tamara a pointed look.

She sighed, holding back an eye roll and shifted to start towards the door when Minho forcefully, leaving no room for debate, said: "She stays."

Tamara's gaze immediately returned to Minho in surprise of his tone of voice.

"What's the point of this?" Minho turns back to Newt, now that Gally had been shut up.

"We've got three hours until sun down. We've gotta figure out what to do with Alby." Newt explained grimly, he looked exhausted.

"You wanna banish him?" Winston asked.

"No. No one wants to banish anyone." Gally answered with a sigh. "But he's stung, we don't have a choice."

"Yes, we do." Tamara butted in, they all turned their gazes to her.

"You say something Newbie?" Gally sardonically raised his brows at her and Tamara held back the need to insult him.

"Yeah, we have a choice. We don't have to banish Alby." she argued.

"Yeah, how's that?"

"We found this on our little 'field trip'." Tamara said as she handed over the cylinder to Newt, giving Gally a look as she repeated his words, he rolled his eyes. Tamara turned her focus back onto Newt. "It was inside the griever."

"These are the same letters we get on our supplies." Newt noted as he looked over it, twirling the cylinder in his hands.

"Yeah. Whoever put us here obviously made the grievers." Tamara explained, running a hand through her hair before glancing to the other Runner. "This is the first real clue, the first anything, you've found in over three years. Right, Minho?"

"Right."

"Who knows where this might lead us." she added.  _'This could be a lead for our way out.'_

Newt met her eyes, he didn't need to respond for Tamara to know what he'd decided upon. Newt turned his gaze onto Gally with a look of irk as the Keeper of the Builders opens his mouth again.

Gally scoffed and spat out: "You see what she's trying to do, right? First, she breaks our rules... and then she tries to convince us to abandon them totally. The rules are the only thing that have ever held us together. Why now are we questioning that? If Alby was here, you know he'd agree with me. This shank needs to be punished."

"You're right. Tamara broke the rules." Gally nodded in approval until Newt announced her punishmen."One night in the pit, and no food."

"Come on, Newt! One night in the pit? Do you think that's gonna stop her from going into the maze?" Gally exploded.

"I've already made her a Runner with Minho's approval, so Tamara can enter the maze all she likes, Gally." Newt announced.

"Wow." Gally scoffed and threw his hands up.

"Gally..."

"No, Fry." Gally snapped and stormed out the door with Frypan and Winston going after him.

"Thanks, Newt." Tamara breathed.

Newt exhaled and nodded, running his tongue over his teeth.

' _Just… Just make sure you're careful alright?'_  Newt murmured, running a hand through his hair.  _'I don't want the same situation happening again.'_

Tamara pursed her lips at his reference to her reckless behavior of running into the maze to help Alby and Minho.

' _Don't worry, Newt. I will.'_  she acknowledged softly.


	6. Teresa and W.C.K.D

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or: Tamara learns more about the maze, the girl wakes up, and Alby's cure.

Upon parting ways with Newt, Tamara followed Minho back to the Runner's room located within the forest of the Glade and whenthey'd arrived, he tugged the sheet off the model of the maze and lent on the table.

"Right so, take a look at this. About a year ago, we started exploring these outer sections-" Minho gestured to them. "-We found these numbers printed on the walls. Sections one through eight. See, the way it works is every night when the maze changes… it, well, opens a new section. So today, Section five was open, previously it was one. Tomorrow, it will be two, then six, then four. The pattern always stays the same, seven-one-five-two-six-four-eight-three."

Tamara frowned, glancing over all eight numbered stones. "So, what's so special about seven?"

Minho exhaled, looking down at the seven's stone. "I don't know. But the night you killed that Griever... Section Seven was open. I think… I think that might be where it came from." Minho looked up and met Tamara's eyes, she knew what he was gonna say.

"Tomorrow, you and I are gonna take a closer look."

"Gotcha." Tamara nodded, opening her mouth to add more but suddenly Jeff and Clint came running into the Runner's room.

"Hey, Hey!" Minho exclaimed, waving his arms about. "What are you guys doing? You're not allowed in here."

The two Med-jacks shared a nervous look, Clint answered: "Sorry, it's just the, uh, it's the girl."

"Is she awake?" Tamara asked hastily.

Tamara felt a range of different emotions; nervousness because they'd finally find out who she was but another part of her was relieved. She felt odd and calm, worried and excited.

The Med-jacks share another look, looking amused almost. "You could say that."

Minho and Tamara shared a look of confusion at Jeff's words before rushing out the door after the Med-jacks, who'd taken off again. As they got closer and closer to the open area of the Glade, the sound of shouting and objects being chucked reached their ears.

Tamara frowned in confusion.  _'What's going on?_ '

' _Well, the girl's awake.'_  Newt answered, Tamara could also hear the smile.  _'It'll probably be best to see it yourself- Whoa!'_

She blinked at the sudden cut off and smirked to herself.

They finally arrived in the clearing and immediately noticed the gathering of boys at the base of tower made from large and old tree. Stones and other pieces were being chucked down by, who Tamara assumed to be, the girl.

The group spotted Chuck, standing with his hands on his hips and laughing at the older boys as they used things to cover their heads as they tried to reason with her.

"Chuck, what's going on?" Minho asked once they reached him.

He continued to laugh, pointing up at the tower. "First Tamara kills a griever and now this girl? Girls are awesome."

They looked up as the girl shouted "Leave me alone!" and continued to throw things.

 _It_ _is_ _kind of amusing,_  Tamara titled her head. She glanced to Minho again, who returned it and they both jogged over just as Gally shouted: "Hey, throw one more of those things- Ow!"

He got hit on the head and damn did it hurt.

"Go away!"

"We come in peace!"

"What happened?" Tamara asked them all as duo reached the group of boys shielding themselves.

She shielded her head, biting back a yelp, as she chucked more stuff down.

"Don't think she likes us very much." Newt laughed lightly.

"What do you want from me?"

"Take cover, y'all! Take cover!"

Tamara sighed and narrowly avoid a hit to the head, then shouted up: "Hey, it's Tamara! It's Tamara!"

Immediately the girl stopped chucking things over the side. Everyone let out a sigh of relief. She peeked over the edge and Tamara licked her lips. "I'm gonna come up, okay?"

Her head disappearance again but she didn't chuck anything or protest.

 _Definitely a positive_ , Tamara nodded. "Okay- just me."

She made sure to give a pointed look at Gally as she moved forward to the ladder. Tamara heard him scoff but ignored him in favor of climbing up the ladders, which was an easy feat and as she reached the top, pushed open the trap door.

Tamara yelped as she was met with a machete being pointed at her face; she flinched backwards and nearly slipped from the ladder.  _Shit, no more injuries please. Jeff and Clint are gonna hate me if I do._

_'Tammie? You alright?'_

_'M'fine, she just startled me is all.'_

_She felt Newt's acknowledgement but he didn't respond._

Tamara raised both hands in an attempt to ease the situation and make her feel less threatened in hope that the raven would lower the rusted blade. "Whoa- okay, just... easy, all right?

"Where am I? What is this place? Why can't I remember anything?" she rapidly questioned, eyes narrowed into a glare of suspicion.

Tamara climbed the rest of the way up and made sure to keep her distance just in case, because Tamara didn't exactly like the thought of being impaled on the _rusted_ blade.

"This is all normal. Okay? We've all been through this." she tried to smooth. "Your- uh, your name will come back to you in a bit. It's the one thing that-"

"Teresa,." she cut in and Tamara momentarily paused.

Icy orbs blinked. "What did you say?"

"My name." she waved the machete a bit as she answered. "It's Teresa."

"Well- uh, Teresa, I'm Tamara." She tried her best to give a smile that wasn't awkward but she didn't do that very well. "But you already knew that, though, l guess, huh?"

"They said I said your name in my sleep." she eyed her. "Who are you?"

So she didn't know anything. While Tamara knew it wasn't likely, she couldn't help the disappointment, the slight sadness that wormed into her stomach, the feeling that she should know her name. Tamara didn't like the feeling nor did she want it.

Tamara licked her lips. "I- uh, I don't know.  _I_  can't remember. None of us here can remember anything. We all woke up here just like you did. I promise." She gently reached out to take the machete. "I'm- I'm gonna take this. Okay?"

Her fingers closed around the rusted blade and once she had a hold, Teresa released her grip. Tamara sighed and gripped the machete with both hands.

"What's going on up there?" Gally's shouted up. Tamara stood and looked over the edge.

"Is she coming down?" Newt asked, Tamara could see his scrunched brows from where she stood- it was a little amusing oddly enough.

"Um..." the brunette glanced to the raven, who returned it. Tamara look back over the side. "Just give us a second, okay?"

They did so, thankfully.

Tamara placed the machete safely on the floor, between the two large tree branches as Teresa and she settled on the edge.

Tamara licked hers lips again, unsure where to start.

"Are we the only girls?" Teresa blurted, her eyes scanned the Glade, hunting for another girl but found none.

Tamara blinked and nodded. "Yeah- uh, from what I understand every single one up until me, have been guys. Anyway, I think you've gotten everyone a bit confused since you shouldn't have arrived until next mouth- several weeks from now and well you came with a rather worrying note too."

"Next month? And what note?" she questioned with a frown.

"Well one person comes up every month, that's how it's been for them for about three years." Tamara explained. "I only came up five days ago, so logically you being here is gonna get anyone in a tizzy. And the note- in your hand you had a piece of paper that said, 'She's the last one', so."

"'She's the last one'. What does that mean?" Teresa frowned.

"I'm not sure." Tamara shrugged, tugging at a piece of frayed rope as her eyes flickered to the box then to Gally who was stood off by the little pond the Glade had. "Ever since you came up, that Box hasn't gone back down either. Everyone's a little worried. Especially Gally. He thinks it's my fault."

They sat in silence for several moments before Tamara sighed. "Are you sure you don't remember anything else?"

"I remember water..." Teresa started hesitantly, as if unsure. "Feeling like I was drowning. These faces staring at me and this woman's voice saying the same thing over and over."

"'Wicked is good." Tamara echoed the words from her dreams. Teresa's eyes lock with Tamara's and she nodded.

"Ever since I've been here, I've had these dreams. Stuff that I think is from before, y'know, the memory wipe. You were in them. You were there and… and you told me that everything was gonna change." Tamara explained, holding back the shaky tone that threatened to escape. Teresa's eyes flicker with hesitance and worry.

She continued: "I'm the only one that's remembered anything after waking up but now you're here and remember too."

"So the others really don't remember anything?"

"No. Why are we different?"

Tamara licked her lips, could Teresa speak telepathically too? Well, she  _knew_  Teresa could but was it her who had the ability and that she and Teresa already had a connect and Teresa just somehow knew how to speak to her?

Tamara knew, thought,  _believed_ that it might possibly be her with the ability between Newt and her. He'd never done anything like it before, so that meant it had to be her… right? But now Teresa was here, and she'd spoken to Tamara and the brunette wasn't so sure anymore.

Partly, Tamara wasn't too keen on finding out but another part bugged her, like she had to know.

' _Teresa?'_

Teresa flinched, her eyes widened as of Tamara echoed through her mind. She turned to look at the brunette. "H-how?" she choked.

' _I… when you were unconscious you… called out to me like this.'_ Tamara answered, biting her lip. She'd hold off on telling Teresa about Newt and her connection.

"I spoke to you?" Teresa's brows scrunched up in confusion and her gaze turned to her fingers.

' _Can you… talk back to me?'_ Tamara asked with hesitation, worried that Teresa speaking to her again would cause to splitting headache that erupted last time.

"Talk… to you?" Teresa asked and pursed her lips.  _'Like this?'_

Tamara flinched, groaning as a hand reached up to her head. Yep, Tamara was right- it still hurt like a bitch.

"Okay, maybe don't speak to me like that." She grimced and Teresa frowned with worry.

"A-are you alright? What happened?" Teresa asked.

"Well… I might have felt out how when you spoke to me in your sleep that I hurt my head, left me with a migraine." Tamara answered through gritted teeth, letting out a shaky breath as her head continued to pound.

Teresa flinched, blurting: "I'm sorry."

"S'fine." Tamara slurred slightly, waving her off. She gently massaged her forehead, praying that it helped with the pain.

Teresa watched as Tamara let out a heavy breath, guilt clenched at her gut as she watched as the brunette's face scrunched up in pain. she licked her lips and her hand drifted to her pocket. Her finger tips brushed against the vials and reminded her about them. She pulled two syringed out and the action made Tamara turn back to her, frowning (for a different reason this time) as Teresa held them up- they held some sort of blue liquid inside.

"These were in my pocket when I came up." Teresa explained and held them out for Tamara to take, which she did and twirled them, noticing the initials engraved on it.

"W.C.K.D. 'WICKED is good'." Tamara uttered, recited in confusion.  _So they_ were _the ones to put us here. My theory was correct, but why? Why put us in here? For what good reason did they need to put a bunch of children into a deadly maze and make them survive?_

"What if… what if we were sent here for a reason?" Teresa asked, questioned.

Tamara froze as a thought hit her, her eyes widened with realization as she turned to glance at Teresa and uttered: "Alby."

Tamara scrambled to the feet before Teresa could question who 'Alby was and climbed down the ladders, Teresa rushed behind her. Once their feet hit the ground, they start running towards Homestead.

**~§~**

"We don't even know what this stuff is. We don't know who sent it. Or why it came up here with you. For all we know, this thing could kill him." Newt argued once he'd looked over the vials himself. He shot Teresa a look of distrust.

"Newt." Tamara stressed, pointing at the grunting and wheezing Alby and his eyes returned to her. "He's already dying. Look at him. How could this possibly make it any worse? We have to try."

Newt sighed, squeezing his eyes closed- he trusted Tamara (for whatever reason, he'd always trusted her) and seeing aLby like this, in pain and  _dying_ , felt him feeling useless. He ran a hand througb his hair and held the vial for Tamara to take. "All right. Do it."

Tamara does, gently taking the vial and shuffled around Newt to lean over Alby. She glanced back at Newt, he knew she was just as worried as he way. There was no denying it. With a nervous lick of her lips, she adjusted her grip on the vial, "Okay."

She turned back to Alby again but suddenly he raised his head and- Tamara shouted as he grabbed her shirt and pulled her forward, shouting: "You shouldn't be here! You shouldn't be here!"

Tamara scrambled to get him off her with a wordless shout and then Newt was there, trying to help as well. In Tamara's haste to get Alby to release her, she let go of the vial.

"Get the syringe!" she snapped over her shoulder at Teresa as Alby refused to let go. She shouted again as he pulled her closer and Newt started clawing at Alby's hand to get him to release her.

Teresa suddenly appeared to their right and stabbed Alby with the needle and with a hiss, the vial injects the serum into Alby. His grip loosens and Tamara went flying backwards into Newt, she slumped into his grip and his arm tightened in response.

"Okay." Tamara breathed.

_'You alright?'_

_'M'good._ ' she exhaled.

Tamara found her feet again and glanced at Newt, his grip on her arm briefly tightens again before he released her; she gave him a shaky smile which he returns.

Newt turned to the others. "Okay, from now on someone stays here and watches him around the clock. Got it?"

Gally steps into the room and everyone turned towards him but Gally's gaze is solely on Tamara. "Sundown, Greenie. Time to go."

Tamara exhaled and gave a jerky nodded of her head as she followed him. Neither of them said anything on the journey to the Slammer. But as they reached it, Tamara finally asked what had been bugging her since the beginning. "What's your problem with me?"

Gally pulled open the wooden door and turns to her, with an almost glare. "Everything started going wrong the minute you showed up. First Ben, then Alby... and now the girl. Everybody saw she recognized you. And I'm betting you know who she is."

Tamara moved closer to jump into the hole when she paused again, glancing over her shoulder at him. "Gally... you know we can't stay here forever, right?"

She jumped in and he locked the door without saying anything, yet the silences answered the question perfectly.

The final piece of sunlight vanished over the maze wall not too long later and left Tamara in near pitch black darkness. The Slammer, Tamara discovered but also could have already guessed, was also an extremely uncomfortable place to sleep. Tamara groaned quietly as stone digs into her back but paused when she heard movement.

"Who's there?"

A light appeared and Tamara stood, moving forward just enough to see who was holding it. Chuck. She came to the bars.

"It's just me." he smiled.

Tamara sighed. "Sorry Chuck."

He waved her off and held a piece of fabric through the bar. "Here. You'll run better on a full stomach."

Food? She unraveled the fabric to find some bread. Tamara hummed as she took a bite from it. "Thanks, Chuck."

Chuck sat silently why she took several more mouthfuls. After her eight, Tamara finally noticed the wooden piece in this hand. "Hey, what you got there?"

He smiled and held it out for her to see. It was a tiny wooden figurine that if Tamara had to guess, was meant to be him.

She grinned. "Wow, that came out pretty damn good. What's that for?"

"It's for my parents." Chuck answered, rubbing his thumb over the wooden figurine.

Her brows shot up in confusion. "You… remember your parents?"

"No, I mean, I know I must have them. And wherever they are, I'm sure they miss me... but I can't miss them because I don't remember them." Chuck shook his head before changing the subject. "What do you think you're gonna find out there tomorrow?"

Tamara hummed as she pondered on it. "Truthfully? I- uh, I don't know. But if there's a way out, Chuck, me and Minho are gonna find it."

Chuck put his hand through the bar and she blinked. "Give me your hand."

Tamara raised her hand through the bar and Chuck placed the figurine in her hand, closing her fingers around it.

"Chuck, why would you give this to me?"

"I can't remember them anyway. But maybe if you find a way out, you can give it to them for me." Chuck smiled sadly, he went to stand. "I'll let you get some sleep."

Tamara rolled the figure around her hand and pursed her lips before smiling. "Hey, Chuck." he paused and glanced back. "Come here, bud."

He came back, kneeling beside the wooden bars. "Put out your hand."

He did so and she returned the wooden figure back into his hand, closing his fingers this time. "I want you to give that to them yourself. We're gonna get out of here. All of us. Okay? I promise."

Smiling, Chuck nodded. "Yeah. Good night."

"Good night, bud." she waved, watching him walk away before sitting back down and finishing her bread.


	7. Headaches and Griever's Hole

' _Tamara?'_

_The aforementioned was ripped to the land of the wake by a piercing pain that pulsed inside her head as the voice spoke. Tamara knew it wasn't Newt- not only did she know because the voice sounded nothing like him, it was the fact that the only other person that could talk to her was Teresa and hearing her voice felt like her head was being ripped in two._

' _What?'_  she snapped, both miffed and annoyed about being awakened and the pain Teresa caused.  _'No offence Teresa, it's not even light yet and having you speaking to me like this is_ not _pleasant compared to when I do it with Newt.'_

Tamara could almost  _feel_  her flinch,  _'I-…'_ she seemed to be at a loss of words and Tamara hoped she didn't continue, unfortunately, she did but not about whatever she wanted to ask previously.  _'You can talk to Newt?'_

There was something in her voice that made Tamara immediately feel unsettled but she couldn't pin point what it that was.

' _Yes?'_  Tamara grumbled, lips curling downwards in a grimace as the pain continued. She wanted to stop the pain and to do that, she had to get through whatever conversation this was.  _'I don't know why nor do I care but talking to him doesn't_ hurt _like it does with you, Teresa. Look- I'm sorry for snapping alright? I'm tired- you woke me up and the Slammer is not a comfortable place to sleep. So can I get to the reason you tried to talk to me or can it wait until we meet face to face later?'_

' _It... it can wait.'_ she answered in a small, upset tone. While Tamara felt guilty about it, she also didn't care enough to want to continue the conversation.

' _Thank you, try and sleep, yeah_ _?_ ' Tamara finished and build up a mental image of a door in front of what she imagined to be an electrical wire to signify her connect, then slam the door shut. Sadistically, Tamara secretly hoped Teresa heard the door slam as a loud bang, so she knew a little of the pain she caused her.

For some reason, as Tamara close her eyes and  _examine_  the wires, she imaged Teresa's connection to be like a red wire but frayed, sparking. Like… perhaps it had been purposely messed with. She turned her focus onto Newt's; to Tamara it was a warm yellow, a comforting colour and it was bright and supporting- like it would never ( _couldn't_ ) disappear. It was what Tamara pictured the sun to feel like it if was something you could physically touch and feel.

She didn't understand what reason she pictured both wires like that for, they'd just always seemed that way.

Tamara dozed from there on out until the light began to creep over the tall maze walls and directly into her eyes. She groaned and rubbed them, wincing at the brightness; she shuffled out of the direct line of sunlight as she let herself wake up.

She could already feel her stiff limbs as she just lay there. After a short period, Tamara sat up and felt her bones crack and pop- it was satisfying for her to hear  _and_  feel.

Tamara heard Minho approaching not long before he appeared. He grinned down at her. "Big day, She-bean. Sure you don't wanna sit this one out?"

Tamara raised a brow and rolled her eyes. "I think you already know that answer."

Minho laughed and untied the rope to let her out, she jumped out once he'd done so. Minho, for a third time, led Tamara back to the Runner's room where they got ready for their run. She made sure to voice that she needed to see Clint or Jeff to have her injured clean before they headed out. So once she had her Runner gear, Tamara swung by Homestead to have them cleaned.

Tamara nearly wolfed down her breakfast because while she was thankful Chuck had given her the bread last night, it wasn't nearly enough- and Minho's laughed at her.

**~§~**

' _Take care.'_  Newt voiced. Tamara glanced over her shoulder from her spot by the closed maze doors to look at him. He was stood in the doorway of Homestead watching the two Runners, arms crossed as he lent on the door frame.

' _Will do.'_  she nodded. Minho glanced at Tamara, who raised a brow but Minho waved her off with a smirk.

The gates rumbled open. It was still daunting for Tamara to listen to, the deep groan it gave as concrete slid against concrete. The hidden gears clanking under the groaning but still noticeable to the human ears didn't help either.

"Let's go!"

Tamara ran after Minho, running for a long time possible a two- three hours tops, turning corners and making their way to the outer Sections; Tamara noticed the maze became more open as they moved further and further away from the Glade and closer to the outer Sections. They passed large open spaces, oddly built walls, enormous closed doors with weathered away red numbers painted on them to signify each Section.

Eventually, after passing six, Minho slowed which signaled to Tamara that they'd arrived at Section Seven. There was a large red seven on the wall to also tell her that too, so there was that. It was also  _open_ \- none of the others the pair had past had been open.

Minho frowned. "That's strange."

Tamara frowned herself, licking her chapped lips as she asked: "What?"

"Seven's not supposed to be open for another five days." he pointed out as they both stood in front of the open Section Seven. From where Tamara stood, she could see strange vertical rectangular metal door shaped things that reminded her of something that she couldn't put a name to, but either way, it looked creepy- and daunting to her; like a single breeze could close them all.

Minho started walking again and Tamara followed.

"What the hell is this place?" she asked, voice echoing. She frowned at the odd structures uncomfortably; she  _really_  didn't like the look of them.

"We call 'em blades." Minho answered with his own grim tone which just furthered her discomfort.

They jogged on. Tamara's eyes flickered to the blades as they creaked in the wind but none moved- which honestly didn't settle the nervousness that bubbled inside her gut.

They ducked through another row and there, on the floor, were pieces of bloody clothing. Extremely familiar ones that, once as Tamara spotted, made her stumble. Minho gripped her arm and sent a quick questioning glance her way and Tamara just shook her head. He left go with a nod, kneeling and gingerly picked the fabric up for a closer look.

"It's Ben's, isn't it?" Tamara asked, keeping her voice void of emotion.

Minho gave a heavy sigh as he dropped the fabric. "Yeah, a griever must've pulled him down here."

There was a buzzing noise- as if something had activated. Tamara titled her head, a frown creased on her brows as she twisted, trying to locate the origin of the sound. Her eyes locked onto Minho- Minho's runner bag.

_It's coming from the cylinder!_

She spun Minho around, ignoring his 'whoa' of surprise as she opened the flap and pull the metal cylinder out. The clicking of the device had become more prominent now that it was in the open.

Tamara backed up, listening as the clicking lowered in volume before taking several steps forwards and listened to it increase. She glanced to Minho and stated: "I think it's showing us the way."

They looked ahead, then back at the cylinder.

"One way to find out." he answered with a shrug of his shoulders.

Tamara nodded and they continued onwards, walking slowly this time as to not mislead themselves. As they walked, Tamara kept her focus primarily on the device to listen for a change in frequency. There wasn't any until-

"Wait, wait, wait." she paused, Minho nearly bumping into her at the abrupt stop.

"What?"

Tamara turned right and took a few steps, the volume increased yet again. "This way."

There weren't any more changes in direction, the cylinder led them towards a wall and through a large dank passageway with large open drops either side. The words 'W.C.K.E.D Loading Bay' in large white letters were painted high up at the far end and much like the red Section numbers, had been warn away by weathering but was nowhere near as bad as the red. The area was a more shielded from the elements than the rest, which resulted in the better quality of paint.

Tamara peeked over the edge and saw only a black void. She backed away from it, feeling her stomach lurch at the sight of the pit.

Tamara swallowed and asked. "You ever seen this place before?"

"No."

 _Well ain't that reassuring,_ she thought dryly.

Minho and Tamara came to a stop as they reached the other end, it was blocked off- nothing was there to signify any sort of further passage. Yet despite the dead end, the cylinder's clicking had sped up drastically.

"It's just another dead end."

_Thanks for stating the obvious, Minho._

The abruptly clicking stopped. Tamara's icy eyes shot down to the cylinder and watched the red seven became green.

Suddenly there's grinding gears behind her and she spun around, watching as the wall slowly lifted upwards to reveal another door behind it, that one following the first. A third concrete door lifted to revealed a large circular pipe.

_Okay, totally not creepy or anything._

Tamara swallowed.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Nope." she answered truthfully.

The Runners shared a look before moving closer to the large pipe. Minho ran his hand along the side of the pipe and through a goo that coated it.

He grimaced. "Grievers."

Tamara bit her lip.

A low beeping started and their eyes are drawn back to the pipe where in the darkness a red light flickered to life. An odd pattern followed, larger circles surrounding the speck lit up and then a beam waved up and down.

It was… scanning them?

Tamara flinched as another low sound echoed from the pipe. There was a hiss, then a loud horn and she flinched again, heart pounded against its cage.

"What the hell was that?"

Gears grinding echoed again, sounding scarily close by.

"We gotta get out of here!" Minho breathed, his eyes wide with panic.

_What?_

"Give me the key!" she threw it to him as they moved. He shouted: "Move, move!"

So they did. They ran and the doors behind them began closed and-

The Section was closing.

As they raced from the passageway, they skidded to a stop as the Blades began to close before them.

_Fuck! I knew they were bad news!_

"We gotta go! Run, Tamara! We're gonna get trapped! Go, go, go!"

They took off running again, hearts poundings. The Blades were slow- but not slow enough for them to completely get out if they weren't fast enough.

Tamara barely slipped passed one before it closed. But-

It closed and Tamara let out a wordless shout, immediately following the Blades, trying to find a slot big enough for her to slip through in time but there wasn't any that she could get to in time.

"Minho!" she screeched with panic, pushing herself faster with another shout. Tamara caught a glance of Minho the other side.

"Come on! Tamara!"

She barely managed to throw herself through as the Blade shut. She stumbled into Minho and he helped her get a footing but the Runners weren't out of trouble yet.

"Keep going! Keep going!" Minho chanted.

They came to the exit of Section Seven, skidding around the corner but as they reached the open area the concrete split; dust and gravel were thrown upwards as cracks were revealed beneath the surface.

"Whoa!" Tamara stumbled to a stop.

The Runners shared another wide-eyed look as two large slabs of concrete began to lift swiftly and then a rumbling came afterwards. The large metal  _door_  unlocked and began to lean.

"Go, go, go!" Minho took off running again and Tamara followed.

It crashed down behind them, throwing up dust and even more cracks began to split- it was as if it was chasing them. Tamara knew logically that it wasn't but it still didn't stop the fear and adrenaline rush that pumped through her body, edging her faster.

Tamara glanced behind and immediately forwards again,  _Okay, okay._

"Come on! Don't look back!"

Of cause, she looked back again-  _it's human fucking nature Minho,_  but Tamara looked forwards and gritted her teeth as she found herself lagging.

"Oh, shit!"

Another large, but smaller door began to drop and they barely avoided being crushed. Tamara felt the dust hit her back and her legs shook from the impacted.

"There!" Minho shouted, leading them towards a small passageway in the wall but the hold was beginning to shrink, the floor was sliding upwards.

Minho jumped up and Tamara followed, crawling, going as fast as her body could take, she slipped over the edge just in time to hit the ground and glance up to watch the hole close completely.

Tamara slumped to the ground, heavily gulping up air as her body shook from the adrenalin rush that coursed through her.

Minho let out a 'whoa!' as he too slumped onto the ground.

Tamara coughed, desperate to stop the burning in her lungs and clear her throat of any dust she'd inhaled.

"Jesus-fucking-Christ." she croaked, rolling onto her front and shakily pushed herself onto her knees.

Minho looked at Tamara grinning. "I don't know if I should find that awesome or terrifying."

Tamara shot him a look of disbelief. "Terrifying- absolutely terrifying, Minho!"

He chuckled and pushed himself to his feet. He held out a hand for her, where he pulled her to her feet.

"Let's… Let's just agree not to do something like that again- any time soon." she breathed, bending over to rest her hand on her knees to catch that last little bit of extra breath.

"Gotcha." Minho pat her shoulder sympathetically. "We should start heading back, it's getting late."

Tamara nodded in acknowledgement and the Runners started their return journey.

**~§~**

The return journey felt like nothing to them. The Runners jogged round the last corner to enter the Glade and were greeted with a dozen or so boys standing there waiting.

' _You alright, Tammie?'_

' _All good.'_ Tamara decided she was definitely  _not_  tell him about almost getting trapped.

They crossed the line just as Newt verbally asked: "What the bloody hell's going on out there?"

Tamara and Minho slowed but don't stop and she actually stumble, Clint reached out to stabiles her. She nodded at him in thanks.

"What the hell you done now, Tamara?" Gally ground out from behind.

"We found something, a new passage." she answered, ignoring the hostile tone of Gally's voice. "We think it could be a way out."

"Really?" Newt tiled his head in disbelief and Tamara nodded.

"It's true." Minho smirked. "We opened a door, something I'd never seen before. I think it must be where the Grievers go during the day."

"Wait! Whoa, whoa, whoa..." Chuck interrupted, running between Minho and Tamara. "You're saying you found the Grievers' home? And you want us to go in?"

"Their way in could be our way out, Chuck." she answered then coughed, lungs still burning. The run back hadn't helped.

"Yeah, or there could be a dozen Grievers on the other side." Gally interjected. "The truth is, Tamara doesn't know what she's done, as usual."

' _Oh, I am so done.'_

Tamara's shoulders tensed as an almost calming wave wash over her, as if telling her to calm down.

' _Tammie.'_

' _No, I'm done with his shit!'_

She turned abruptly, sharply and met Gally head on, ignoring Newt's assistance to let it go.

"Yeah, at least I did something, Gally. I mean, what have you done? Aside from hide behind these walls all the time?" Tamara argued.

"Let me tell you something, Greenie." Gally scoffed. "You've been here three days, all right? I've been here three years! "

"Yeah!" Tamara's voice took a higher tone-  _god I was so shucking done with this bastard,_  "You've been here three years and you're still  _fucking_  here, Gally! What does  _that_  tell you? Maybe you should start doing things a little differently."

"Guys."

' _Tammie.'_  Newt's fingers brushed against her elbow.

"Maybe you should be in charge, what about that?" Gally scoffed mockingly.

_I want to fucking punch his goddamn face-_

"Hey." everyone's head snapped to Teresa.

 _When had she gotten here?_  Tamara silently questioned.

"It's Alby! He's awake."

Tamara glanced over her shoulder to Newt, he met her eyes.

**~§~**

Newt, Minho, Gally, Tamara and Teresa all rushed back to Homestead and wandered into Alby's room.

"Has he said anything?" Minho asked Jeff, who had been watching over the Glade's leader.

"No."

Newt brushed passed Tamara and quietly sat on the bed. "Alby, are you all right?"

He doesn't say anything, he just continued to stare at the wall, lips quivering and it was easy to see he was barely keeping himself from crying. Tamara edged forwards, sitting on the box in front of Alby.

"Hey Alby, we might have just found a way out of the maze." she reached forwards and lay a hand on his knee. "Do you hear me? We could be getting out of here."

He shook his head. "We can't. We can't leave. They won't let us."

The Creators?

Tamara glance at Newt, he returned the stare.

She swallowed, drawing back and her fingers twitched as she looked back to Alby, watching as the tears that had gathered in his eyes slipped down his cheeks.

"What are you talking about?"

"I remember." his dark eyes meet Tamara's icy ones and she frowned, an uneasy feeling settling.

"What do you remember?"

"You." Tamara exhaled sharply as he frowned in confusion. "You were always their favourite, Tamara. Always. What did you do to make them sent you up? Why did you come here?"

 _I knew it_ , those where the only thoughts that flickered in mind. She knew she was part of the reason they were all put here.  _God, fuck- what've I done to them? What did I see? What did I do?_

There was noise from outside, the boys' voices growing louder as if something had disturbed them. Tamara pushed herself to her feet, her knees ached in protest by she ignored it as she tried to catch what the boys were saying.

Alby covered his head, curling in on himself as he trembled.

Tamara rushed out the door as the voice became more panicked. Everyone followed her.

"Winston, what's going on?" she asked as he jogged over.

"It's the doors. They aren't closing." he answered grimly. He ran off, following the other boys heading towards the closest gate. Which, much like Winston had stated, was still open.

The group all ran after the boys gathering at the gate; they just stood there, unsure about what was happening (what  _was_  happening?) or what to do because it was  _night_. Night meant that the-

A loud rumbling echoed through the Glade and the entire group all flinched, twisting towards the south gate- it was opening. Another rumble and the east then west opened.

 _Okay, okay-_  Tamara turned to Chuck. "Chuck, go to the Council Hall and start barricading the doors."

Chuck nodded, moving to do what she'd asked.

"Winston, you go with him." Newt ordered, catching onto what Tamara was doing.

"Got it."

Gally moved, turning to several others. "Get the others. Tell them to go to the forest. Go hide, now!"

Tamara twisted to Minho, licking her lips. "Minho, I want you to grab every weapon you can find. We'll meet you at Council Hall."

Minho, Frypan and another few boys all ran off.

Tamara turn to Teresa. "Teresa, you and I are gonna go get Alby, all right?"

There was shouting- for a moment no one could place what they were saying but-

"Grievers!"

-their blood ran cold.

A screech came from their left- from the maze and Tamara knew that was a terrible sign. It turned the corner.

"Everybody hide!" Tamara shouted backing up but immediately noticed the lack of a distinct female raven. She twisted and snagged her wrist. "Teresa! Come on, run!"

She did and Tamara released her wrist. The group all headed for the tall cornfield in hopes that it would disguise them from the grievers. As they hid, could hear as grievers picked of boys one at a time- picked off the slow ones and Tamara's chest clenched.

_God- this was my fault, wasn't it? If only we'd not-_

They ducked down low and Tamara wanted to tell them to put the torch out because they weren't blind- they would be able to see the fucking thing but it was too late- how would they put it out now?

Suddenly Zart's grabbed and pulled into the darkness and everyone screamed, Zart's own scream echoed further back as they fled again.

_Oh god- this is-_

They escaped the cornfield.

"Go! Get to the village!" someone shouted and Tamara couldn't pinpoint who it was.

They arrived at Homestead, immediately spotting Alby being supported by both Clint and Jeff.

"Are you okay? What's going on?" Jeff questioned.

"Grievers." Tamara answered, voice void.

"Grievers?" Clint echoed, eyes wide with fear.

Behind them all, one of the boys with a torch ran by and a griever was chasing him, caught him and killed him.

Tamara reached over and grabbed the machete that hung on the wall.

"Tamara, what do we do?" Jeff asked lowly.

_Why was he asking me? Please don't ask me- I'll… I'll just end up killing more of you- please don't make me-_

A boy screamed from behind.

"Everybody, run, run,  _run_!" she shouted;  _I coan wallow in self-pity later for fucks sake._

They ran but a griever launched out in front of them and screeched.

Suddenly Teresa rushed forwards, grabbed the candle in a jar and threw it at the griever. It burst into flames, screeching once more but in pain this time.

"Everyone go!"

They rushed around it as it tried to put itself out.

"Keep moving!"

They began to run towards the Gathering Hall.

The screeching behind stopped and with a quick glance, revealed that the griever had finally managed to put itself out and had begun running after them again.

"Oh shit!"

Another boy lost. Tamara's heart clenched further with guilt because-  _it was still all my fault._

In front of her, Alby stumbled and fell.

"Alby!" Newt shouted, stopping and turned to help. Everyone else stopped and Tamara quickly joined them, turning towards the griever and held the machete out.

Suddenly a spear landed in the griever and it screeched, another spare followed and Minho's voice echoed: "Over here, let's go! Over here!"

They continued running towards the Gathering Hall; rushing through the door and barricading it. They all huddled in the middle, ducking low.

They watched and listened as the griever bashed on the door several times before seemingly giving up- but that was to easy.

Tamara flinched as it jumped onto the roof, she stumbled back into someone- into Newt, who gripped her hand reassuringly. She returned it, squeezing tightly.

"Stay back, guys." Newt whispered to the front of the group.

It crawled further up the roof and Tamara was overwhelmed with an extremely bad feeling.

' _It's gonna go for the support beam.'_  she whispered in realization. Next to her, Newt's breath hitched, his grip tightened on her hand as he tugged Tamara back and away from where the griever was stood.

Then it does what Tamara theorized- the griever's tail pierced the roof and latched onto the beam, ripping it out; the roof collapsed and forced them all towards the wall. Everyone cried out as some were trapped under the wood.

Tamara coughed at the dust that invaded her nose and mouth.

"ls everyone alright?" someone asked.

"Help!" Tamara's eyes snapped to the boy caught under the wood.

"Grab him!"

Newt and Tamara leapt forward but missed his hand by an inch and he disappeared, taken by the griever. Minho pulled them away.

"Watch out!"

Suddenly the tail bursts through the side and someone screams-  _Chuck_  screams.

"Chuck!"

Tamara race forward as the thing latches onto Chuck's shirt; she grabbed his hands.

"Chuck, no!"

"Chuck, don't let go!"

"No shit!"

Newt and Minho appeared and get their own grip on Chuck as her feet skid forward.

"Pull!"

"Don't let him go!"

Suddenly, Alby let out a war cry and appeared, using a machete and sliced down on the griever's tail. He continued doing this until it wore through and knocked the stinger off. That seemed to do it and it released Chuck, who fell on top of them but they didn't care one bit as long as the boy was safe.

"Chuck, are you okay?" Tamara breathed, gripping his shoulder. He nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine." he turned to the healing leader. "Thanks, Alby."

Alby nodded, body still rocking with tremors. Teresa picks the stinger up, holding it tight.

Sudden there's the familiar sound of the griever and Tamara's eyes widen- "Alby! Watch out!"

She raced forwards once more just as the griever returned, it's tail latching onto Alby this time. She nabbed Alby's hand, the other on a beam- it pulled on her arms and it hurt but she doesn't let up; her shoulders feel like they were going to pop out any moment and she screeched in pain.

The Tamara stared up at Alby wide-eyed as he stared back as her grip slipped on his hand. Their palms to sweaty.

He uttered: "Tamara, get them out."

Then he was gone.

"Alby! No!"

_No, no, nononono._

Throwing caution to the wind, Tamara rush passed Newt and Minho, ignoring as they all shouted her name to stop and listen but she'd already unlocked the door, racing out.

"Tamara- Tamara!"

"Don't go out there!"

"No, Tamara, wait!"

"Tamara, wait!"

But they were gone. There wasn't a single griever or any sign of Alby anywhere.

Tamara heard someone ask something, something about someone approaching and she turned to see what it was about but all she got is a face full of pain as whoever it was slammed a fist into her face.

She wordlessly shouted as she hit the floor, head bashing against the dirt, her vision fizzles white for a moment before returning.

Tamara already knew who it was before she even looked.

"Gally-"

"This is all on you, Tamara!" he shouted and the girl flinched, glancing up at him. "Look around!"

Several of the boys rushed to hold Gally back.

"Back off, Gally! It's not Tamara' fault!" Minho shouted.

Tamara scrambled to her aching feet, stumbling slightly as a head rush washed over her.

"You heard what Alby said! She's one of them!"

"One of who?"

"She's one of them, and they sent her here to destroy everything, and now she has! Look around, Tamara!" Gally sneered. "Look around! This is your fault!"

"Back off, Gally!"

"This is not Tamara' fault!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Calm down."

"They sent her here and now she's destroyed everything that we've built!"

"What are you talking about?"

Teresa rested her hand on Tamara's shoulder when she stumbled again, her knees wouldn't stop shaking.

_Why won't they stop shaking?_

"He's right." she murmured because she was the one to run into the maze, the one to kill the griever which lead them to find the cylinder and go looking for answered. Answers which lead to almost half of the boys being slaughtered.

Teresa turned to her. "Tamara-"

Tamara's icy orbs flickered to the stinger in Chuck's grasp, she reached other and grabbed it. Chuck blinks up at her but she ignored his questioning expression and turn back to Teresa.

"I need to remember, Teresa." she continued, lifting the stinger up and spared a glance at Teresa, watching as her eyes widen in realization but before she could even move a muscle-

Tamara had stabbed the syringe into her stomach.

"Tamara!" Teresa screeched.

The effect was immediate. Her vision danced, her body felt like it had been shoved into boiling hot water and her knees finally gave out. She hit the floor, the cool ground did nothing against her boiling skin.

"T-ara!"

"Ch-ck, -other -ringe!"

Who-

Her body seized- she couldn't breathe.

"Put- on- side!"

"It-…-kay."

' _Tammie-'_

Who-

A cool hand touched Tamara's face, brushing hair from her eyes.

Blond hair- who had-

' _It'll be okay, Tammie- it's okay. Sleep.'_

Tamara's eyes rolled to the back of her head.


	8. I remember…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or: Memories are quite the thing, aren't they?

I remember being escorted down a starch white hallway with splashes of blue and grey décor. The hand of an adulted rested on my shoulder but it wasn't firm, instead it was gently and guiding.

A glance up at the owner of the hand revealed a woman with ginger hair neatly pulled into a bun that sat at the top of her head. Her murky sea blue eyes flickered down to me, a gently and kind smile graved her lips.

"Are you gonna tell me what I'm needed for?" I asked, blinking owlishly up at the woman.

She chuckled softly, "I have spoken to you previously about another girl that will not be taking direct inclusion within the Maze Trials, yes?"

I nodded, recalling the conversations.

"Well I believe that it is a good time to introduce you both." she finished and I found my eyes widening.

"Really?" I gushed with excitement. She nodded, humming at my excitement.

Finally, we arrived at a white door and it slid open to reveal a general common room with a table and chairs, a mini kitchenette and a settee. Sat on a dark blue settee was a dark-haired girl with warm blues eyes that flickered upwards as we entered.

"Hello, ma'am." she greeted kindly and stood, her eyes flickered to me.

She was extremely pretty and suddenly I found myself nervous, an odd sensation settling within my stomach.

"Hello." she greeted.

"H-hi!" I stuttered before flushing in embarrassment, she giggled.

"I'm Deedee." she added and came closer, it did little to stop the odd sensation but I pushed that aside so I wouldn't embarrass myself anymore.

"I'm-"

**~§~**

I remember when I was younger, the same ginger-haired woman was once more escorting me down a hallway. I hummed quietly to myself, a song that I can't recall or place, just that my mother sung it to me.

We passed through several more hallways before arriving at our destination and the door opened. Inside were a small number of boys.

Auntie had told me there was a lot more but I was only being introduced to a few of them for now, she said that the reason behind introducing me to them was for an upcoming experiment that didn't involve the Maze Trials. It was another one that some scientists were working on, she'd not told me much but I was going to one of the subjects and they had to pair me with someone for the experiment so they were having me meet several to see if I was 'compatible' with them.

The boys all stopped talking at the sound of the door opening, turning towards us.

"Boys." she greeted. "I would like to introduce you to -."

Their eyes all flickered to me in confusion and awe- it was likely they hadn't seen a girl in a while. They were often kept segregated, away from others who weren't going to take part in their Trails, so they would get to know each other; to ready themselves for the Trails.

"I'll leave you all to introduce yourselves, yes?" she finished and left, the door sliding closed behind her.

I waved awkwardly. "Hi?"

A young Asian boy with dark hair stepped forwards, pointing to himself. "I'm Hyun, nice to meet you!"

I smiled and nodded. Each of them took turns introducing themselves.

A dark-skinned older boy by the name of Alby stepped forwards next. Seemingly not too bothered about the entire thing.

A fair skinned American boy with black hair and ivy green eyes named Nick was next, he had a brotherly kind of attitude to him. It was nice, I'd never had an older sibling.

A long-haired blond with chocolate brown eyes boy called Samuel was forth, he smiled shyly but warmed up quickly.

Another dark-skinned boy, younger than Alby named Toby introduced himself next, he was rather outgoing much like Hyun but was tamer than the Asian boy in certain aspects.

An Italian boy with dark hair and eyes named Robert was last, he was quiet but Toby said that was just Robert- he was naturally quiet.

**~§~**

I remember standing before a dark brown haired woman, a colour like mine. Her eyes were like looking into a mirror- they matched mine.

The woman was my mother.

She knelt in front of me, her hands on my cheeks.

"What do you mean Auntie's moving you to another base?" I asked, voice quivering.

My mother smiled sadly. "I know, but my work and experience are gonna be a lot more useful at this new base. Your Auntie said we could call each other at any time we want, yeah? It'll be like I haven't even left you, sweetie."

I frowned- it wasn't the same but there wasn't anything I could do to change it so I nodded.

"I love you." she smiled, kissing my forehead. "I'll always love you, no matter what happens, you understand me?"

I frowned again, not  _really_  understanding why she worded it like but the meaning of the sentence I did.

"I love you too." I held up my pinkie, which she joined hers with. "Forever and always!"

"Forever and always, my beautiful little star."

**~§~**

"You'll have to be awake during the procedure but with the numbing agent we'll be using, you won't even feel a thing." the doctor stated.

I frowned still, it was mostly nerves.

"It'll be okay." Samuel shot me a smile which I returned. "It'll be over and done with in under an hour! Then it'll be my turn!"

I nodded. "Okay then."

"All good." the doctor smiled, too cheerfully. It was bloody annoying.

Huh, Sam was finally rubbing off on me.

**~§~**

I remember sitting in a boxed-in garden of sorts (filled with a few trees and grass and  _flowers_ ) with Samuel–  _Newt_ , my mind finally fixed. Even with even shorter hair that reached his chin and a younger, slowly disappearing baby-fat filled face, I would recognize him anywhere.

"Did they x'plain anymore 'bout why we were the ones picked for this?" he asked, tilting his head curiously.

I shook my head, tugging at the stem of a small flower I didn't know the name off. "They always say it's for experiential reasons- De-Teresa isn't doing this. When I asked Auntie about it, she just said Teresa wasn't compatible with anyone else other than me. Something about brainwaves. I dunno. Auntie said it's cause of the chips behind our ears and other complicated scientific thingies."

Newt frown, a pout appearing on his lips.

"Oh- _oh!_  That reminds me! - has  _two_  compatible people! You won't believe who it is! - and  _-"_ I grinned.

Newt's eyes widened in excitement, "That's amazing! Maybe  _-_  and I can both do it 'cause - -"

**~§~**

Our lips danced, my hands coming up to intertwine with her hair as her own fingers bunched my shirt. She hummed as we parted and I kissed along her jaw, down her neck where I nibbled and sucked- where I intended on leaving a mark.

**~§~**

I remember being told to come to Auntie's office. I wasn't given a reason, just that she needed to desperately speak with me. Excusing myself from my study, I made my way towards her office as my nerves itched with nervousness- she never called for me to join her in her office. She always came to me.

I knocked and entered once the I heard the good ahead.

Inside stood Auntie and a man, their faces grim.

Immediately a bad feeling settles in the pit of my stomach.

I swallowed. "What's wrong?"

Auntie moved forward until she was in front of me, she rested her hands on my shoulders. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this but at seventeen forty-five yesterday evening, the Red Arm attacked the base that your mother worked at."

My breath hitched- lodged in my throat.  _Please… please don't tell me…_

"I'm sorry Tamara but I received a confirmed report stating that y-your mother had been one of the victims brutally killed for simply working for us." Auntie finished.

For a moment, I didn't know what to feel… or say. I just felt empty but then like a dam had been broke I felt horror, shock-

"No- no, no, nononono!" I denied – she's- she  _couldn't_  be.

"You're lying!" I shoved her. "Tell me you're lying!"

She had to be!

Auntie just closed her eyes and that was the answer.

I sobbed and shoved her one last time before running from the room, ignoring Auntie as she called out to me.

"Tamara! Please!"

**~§~**

I remember sitting on my bed in the room I shared with Teresa, frowning and unable to focus on the book I was reading. I sighed scratching the back of my neck.

"What's the matter?" Teresa asked, spinning around on her chair at the desk having heard the sound.

"I'm just thinking about a lot of stuff- about W.I.C.K.E.D and the Maze Trails, is all." I answered truthfully.

She frowned. "What's your thoughts then?"

"I-" I swallowed, unsure. Should I tell her? Teresa was a full supporter of WICKED and what it was trying to do. I shake my head, shooting her a smile. "It's nothing- just something silly I came across early."

"Okay then." she shrugged and turned back to the desk to continue working.

I sighed.

**~§~**

"So Alby finally went up huh?" Newt slumped against my side and my head found his shoulder.

"Yeah."

**~§~**

"Don't be a bloody plonker, Rome." Newt shot me a pointed look as we stood looking over the balcony.

I shot him a look. "That's a new one."

Newt snickered. "Minho got offended when I called him it."

"What does it even mean?"

"Idiot- no wait." Newt cut off, glaring at me. Oh, looks like he caught on. "Ya'r tryin' to bloody distract me, Rome. It ain't happenin'- this is serious."

I sighed, then scoffed. "So you expect me to do nothing?"

"Yes, Rome." Newt stressed, grabbing my shoulders tightly, turning me to face him; forcing me to meet his eyes. "They'll less likely ta put up with ya'r bloody shit now I'll be sent up. You know this, so  _please_  don't do anythin' reckless. I know they won't kill you or chuck ya out- Ava won't allow 'em. Might just sent ya up too if ya'r not careful and I don't want that, 'kay?"

I sighed, slumping into his chest, arms wrapping around his waist.

**~§~**

"You're too much like your mother." the man sneered down at me. I still couldn't make out his facial features.

I rolled my eyes. "I should hope so- since I've got half of her genetic structure after all, idiot."

"Watch it kid." he snapped but he looked amused despite his annoyance at me.

**~§~**

"Teresa... why are we doing this?" I asked quietly as we lay on our bed curled up, basking in each other's warmth.

**~§~**

"Excellent, Tamara." Auntie praised, squeezing my shoulder.

**~§~**

"Come with me, Tamara." Auntie asked, I followed.

**~§~**

"Wicked isn't good." I murmured.

"Tamara... Wicked  _is_  good." Teresa argued.

**~§~**

" _How could this be my fault?"_

**~§~**

" _You did this! I saw you!"_

**~§~**

"I can't keep watching them suffer."

**~§~**

I was startled to consciousness by the harsh shaking, rattling of metal and the deep vibrating hum of electric.

What happened?

Where am I?

_Why can't I remember anything?_

**~§~**

I remember a word.

A name.

my name.

_Andromeda._


	9. Escape from the Maze

Tamara was awoken by an extremely uncomfortable feeling in her stomach- like it was clenching and aching. Her eyes snapped opened and she swallowed several times but it didn't do anything. She scrambled upright and her stomach squeezed painfully. Someone whoa-ed but Tamara hardly paid any attention as with a heaving lurch, a mouthful of liquid spilled from her mouth, discolouring the dirt floor.

Minho groaned with disgust.

Tamara heaved as her stomach clenched painfully again, followed by another round of vomit. Her throat burned as it bubbled up.

Her arms shook as she stared at the pool of vomit beneath her as she gagged but nothing else comes up.

A hand touches her shoulder and she flinched away from it, the hand almost freezing against her uncomfortably warm skin.

Tamara sat back coughing, then spat the remains of the repulsive tasting liquid out her mouth. She groaned, a hand subconsciously finding the spot she'd shoved the stinger in to feel a bandage under her shirt.

She swallowed and coughed again at the taste still in her mouth.

"Hey." Teresa greeted quietly, her fingers coming up the brush some of Tamara's hair out of her face. "Are you okay?"

Tamara just groaned and her body protested as she moved to lean on the wall, making sure to avoid the puddle of vomit. Her head pounded and buzzed with everything that had come flooding back.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Chuck asked in disbelief. Tamara flinched, glancing up at him, Minho and Newt.

Newt… well, Newt was glaring daggers at her, so stare it almost felt physical; she winced at the look.

"I had to remember." Tamara shrugged, using the back of her sleeve to wipe her mouth; she cared little about the state of it anymore.

"Had to- had to remember?" Newt scoffed at the brunette's nonchalant attitude. "Why didn't you buggin' mention it before being a complete twat and acting on impulse! Do have any idea what you put us through?"

"You would have stopped me." Tamara pointed out, raising a hand.

"I bloody well would have!" Newt shook his head as he smacked his hand on the wooden pole of the Slammer's door. "You're a complete and utter idiot, Tamara!"

"I'm fine, Newt-"

"You had a seizer!" he snapped, Tamara flinched. "Not to mention the puking!"

_I'd-_

"What?"

Newt sighed, bowing his head before shaking it. "Look- the point is you need to stop doing klunk like that, Tammie- because you're gonna wind up either seriously injured or dead and I  _don't_  wanna see that."

Tamara shuffled awkwardly as she glanced up at Newt, Chuck, and Minho again.

Minho glanced between Newt and Tamara several times before shaking his head with a familiar twitch of his lips that was beginning to annoy Tamara because she still didn't understand it.

Tamara sighed and asked: "What happened?"

"Gally's taken control." Minho explained. "Said we had a choice: either join him or get banished at sundown with you."

Tamara groaned and shuffled again, she croaked: "And the others agreed to that?"

"Gally has everyone convinced that you're the reason all this has happened." Teresa continued, reaching up to brush another stray strand of hair from Tamara's face. The brunette didn't have the energy to tell her to stop- that she didn't want her to touch her like that. Not anymore.

She gave a short bitter chuckle. "Well, he's been right so far."

Teresa frowned at her.

"What are you talking about?" Minho asked, the three stared at Tamara in confusion.

She tugged a hand through her hair, pulling a leg to her chest as she announced to true reason to all this. "This place- it's not what we thought it was. It's not a prison, it's a test. It all started when we were kids; they would give us these challenges. They were experimenting on us. And then people started disappearing. Every month, one after the other, like clockwork."

"They were sending them up into the maze." Newt concluded and Tamara nodded.

"Yeah, but not all of us."

"What do you mean?" Newt asked and all four frowned.

"The people who put you here, I worked with them- I watched you guys for  _years_. The entire time you've been here- I was on the other side of it. We both were." Tamara glanced to Teresa as she shook her head in denial; Tamara continued before Teresa could speak. "I hardly remember any of it but I know- I know for a fact that they've done a lot of stuff, like taking our memories- I mean, they didn't even let some of us keep our birth names."

"B-birth names?" Minho echoed with a stutter. Tamara nodded.

"What? Why- why wouldn't they let us keep our names? Why would they change them? What do they get from that?" Chuck asked, looking between all of them.

Tamara shrugged again. "Don't know but I know some of your guys' names- I only knew a few of you on a personal level before you were sent up."

"Who's names?" Minho asked, looking interested.

"Yours was Hyun."

"Hyun?" Minho echoed with surprise, brows raised and she nodded.

Tamara's eyes flicked to Chuck, then Teresa. "Yours was Charles and Teresa's was Deedee."

Her eyes wen to Newt next. "Yours was Samuel."

"Samuel?" Newt repeated, brows and nose scrunching up, the look would have made Tamara chuckle had it been a different situation.

"What 'bout yours?" Chuck asked, resting his chin on the bars.

Tamara snorted and muttered it under her breath.

"What?" Minho blinked before smirking. "You're gonna having to speak louder than that, She-bean."

She glared at him, feeling her cheeks heat up.  _My name's embarrassing- it's long and_ _why_ _did my parents call me that?_

"Andromeda." Tamara declared.

"Andromeda?" all four echoed and her cheeks flushed.

"I know." she ducked her head. "It's embarrassing."

Minho snickered.

"Tammie-" Newt started.

"Andromeda's a pretty name," Teresa added with a smile and Tamara blinked at her.

Newt frowned at the interruption and Minho sent a smirk his way. Newt shot him a dry look.

Tamara snorted. "Sure- hardly any of you could pronounce it until you were, like, eleven." she turned to Newt again. "You just took to calling me Rome."

"Rome?" Newt blinked and Tamara nodded.

"Seems your need for nicknames stayed." she added in a dry tone and he narrowed his eyes in a playfully.

"Why would they send us up if we were with them?" Teresa asked, reverting to the original conversation and she sighed.

"I think I did something? I don't know."

"It doesn't matter." Minho cut in before Tamara could open her mouth to continue; Tamara's flickered to him.

"He's right." Newt agreed and Tamara turned him, meeting his eyes. "It  _doesn't_  matter.  _Any of it_. Because the people we were before? They don't exist anymore; these Creators made sure to take care of that. But what  _does_  matter is who we are now, and what we do now. You went into the maze and you  _found_  a way out, Tammie."

Tamara scoffed as the familiar guilt bubbled up again-  _had I not done that, had I not been so eager to see what the cylinder meant, a hell of a lot of boys would still be alive_.

"Yeah, but if I hadn't, Alby and the others would still be alive."

"Maybe." Newt nodded slowly swallowing but his gaze never left hers, "But I know that if he  _were_  here, he would be telling you the exact same thing: pick your arse up and finish what you started, because if we do nothing- then that means Alby died for nothing and I  _can't_  have that."

Tamara blink rapidly, feeling her eyes moisten. She nodded. "Okay, but we gotta get through Gally first."

"What do you have in mind?"

She slumped against the wall, licking her lips. "Well-"

**~§~**

The boys come to take Teresa and Tamara to the doors an hour before the gates were due to close. Tamara played unconscious as she listened to Teresa climb out and tell them that she hadn't 'awoken' apart from one point where she's thrown up but immediately feel back unconscious.

Two jumped into the Slammer to lift her out. She nearly gave herself away as they drop her unceremoniously, the action jarring her stomach but she managed to bite her tongue at the last moment.

They hocked her arms around their necks and began to drag Tamara towards the gate. She listened as Teresa played her part, subtly fighting against them when they were a bit too rough.

The journey only took a minute and Tamara felt the grass become loose gravel under the toes of her boots before she was dumped back on the ground. She bit her tongue once more and continued playing dead.

' _Tammie?'_

' _M'okay.'_  She groaned.

"This is such a waste." Gally uttered, shaking his head.

"Gally." Winston spoke up, glancing at the unconscious Tamara and Teresa. "It doesn't feel right, man."

"Yeah, what if Tamara's right?" Jeff spoke up and it gave the brunette hope that once they'd started the plan that they'd be onboard with coming with them. "Maybe she can lead us home."

"We are home. Okay?" Gally scoffed. "I don't wanna have to cross any more names off that wall."

"You really think banishing us is gonna solve anything?" Teresa argued.

"No. But this isn't a banishing. It's an offering."

"What? Wait! Gally, what are you doing?" Teresa panicked.

"You really think I'm gonna let Tamara back into the maze after what she's done? Look around you! Look at our Glade! This is the only way. And when the Grievers get what they came here for... everything goes back to the way it was." Gally reasoned, voice firm.

"Are you listening to this? Why are you all just standing there? He's crazy!"

"You shut up."

"If you stay here, the Grievers are going to come back. They're gonna come back, and they're gonna keep coming back- until you're all dead!"

"Shut up! Tie her up!"

No one moved.

"Do you hear me? I said tie her up!"

This was it.

They crouch beside Tamara, their hands grasping her arms and she open her eyes, waiting until her knees were firmly on the ground before elbowing the boy on her left in the gut, snatching the spear from his hand and immediately used it to hit both boys. They dropped down unconscious.

Tamara whirled around, watching as the others play their part. Newt drew his machete and knocked another guy out with the end of the handle and Teresa kicking the guy by her in the dick. He collapsed in pain. Tamara almost winced.

Minho moved forwards, putting his machete to Gally's shoulder to stop him. Frypan also moved and released Teresa as the rest all shuffle towards Tamara, their backs towards the maze. Chuck ran past them all and stood behind Tamara, bags on both shoulders.

"You're full of surprises, aren't you?" Gally shook his head but wasn't truly surprised by what had just transpired.

"You don't have to come with us, but we  _are_  leaving." Tamara voiced instead of answering Gally. "Anyone else who wants to come, now is your last chance."

"Don't listen to her, she's just trying to scare you." Gally scoffed.

" _No_ ," she cut in sharply and didn't bother trying to hide the quiver in her voice. "I'm not trying to scare you. You're already scared.  _I'm_  scared. But I'd rather risk my life out there than spending the rest of it in here. We  _don't_  belong here. This place isn't our home- we were put here; we were  _trapped_  here. At least, out there we have a choice. We can make it out of here. I know that."

Winston came forward, then Jeff who uttered. "I'm sorry" to Gally.

Several other boys came forward until there was only seven still standing behind Gally.

Tamara turned to Gally once more, lowering the spear as she practically begged the Keeper. "Gally, it's over- just come with us."

"Good luck against the Grievers."

That was it. That was his answer. Tamara shakily exhaled. She might hate Gally but she didn't want him to die.

Tamara nodded. "Okay, good luck to you to then."

With that, Tamara turned and trailed after Minho, who'd already entered the maze with everyone else following behind Tamara.

Surprisingly, the journey was like nothing. The sun was still in the sky, seeming like it would never fade and leave them in the darkness that night brought.

The Gladers arrived at Section Seven and the place had reverted- or rather revealed a new opening which allowed even easier access to it. The sight of the Blades was just as nerve-racking to Tamara as the first time.

_God, I hate them._

Minho and Tamara continued to lead everyone towards the pathway and began to slow once they reached the corner where they stopped. Tamara peered around before immediately pulled back and faced them, lips pursed.

"Is it a Griever?" Chuck asked, seemingly ( _obviously_ ) noticing her nervousness.

"Yeah."

Someone muttered a "shit" under their breath.

Minho held out the cylinder and glanced to the Chuck. "You take this, Chuck. Stay behind us."

He took it, clenching it tightly. Tamara reached over and gripped his shoulder at his nervous look.

"It's okay." Teresa spoke up, tying her hair back. "Just stick with me, yeah?"

Tamara exhale, licking her lips before she spoke. "Once we're at the other end, it'll activate and the door will open. We stay close, we stick together and we get through this. We get out now or we die trying."

"All right."

"Let's go!"

They ran around the corner screaming and yelling, the griever immediately spotted them and screeched, stopping its pacing to charge at them instead.

They met head on, shoving their spears up into to try and push it off the edge and into the void. They managed to back it up towards edge.

"Push it!" Tamara yelled and shoved theirs spears again.

It swung its tail and everyone all ducked under it. Tamara felt the draft and cool air hit the back of her neck as it swung over them all.

It grabbed someone and threw him over the edge.

It roared and slammed its leg down, Teresa cut at its leg with her machete.

The cylinder went flying and Chuck shouted: "The key!"

Tamara felt her heart skip as she spotted the cylinder and Chuck running after it but was forced to focus on the griever, shoving her spear up again before ducking out the way.

With vigorous shoving and poking, the Gladers managed to shove the thing over the edge, it tried to catch itself but its leg were unable to latch onto the concrete.

"Tamara!" Chuck screeched. "Tamara!"

Her eyes shot towards Chuck and Teresa and they widened as two more grievers climbed over the edge. "Chuck! Teresa! Get behind us!"

The two passed the Gladers with spears and everyone immediately shoved their spears at the two new grievers.

"Keep it steady, guys!"

Behind them, the concrete doors began to lift and they all ducked out the way of a swing of a grievers tail.

"Don't back down! Keep pushing!"

"Stay together!"

They all began to shuffle backwards towards the large pipe while keeping the grievers at bay.

Another one of the boys were thrown off the edge with a yell of terror.

"Tamara! There's a code!"

_What? What!_

"Eight numbers!"

_Eight numbers- eight numbers- eight? Eight what? Eight Sections!_

"Eight sections of the maze." she breathed aloud, before shouting, "Hey, Minho! What's the sequence?"

"What?"

"The sections of the maze, what's the sequence?" she explained, shoving the spear into the griever again.

"Seven! One! Five! Two! Six! Four-" Minho started but there was metal against concrete above them and sudden a griever came falling down, landing on top of Minho.

"Minho!" Tamara screeched

"Minho!" Newt echoed with a shout.

"Get off of me!" Minho roared, using his spear to keep its mouth away from him.

Jeff ran forwards and the griever backed up, forgetting Minho as it finds a new target to focus on. Minho scrambled backwards as Jeff gets caught by the griever's claws as he screamed.

"Jeff!" they pulled Winston back as he shouted Jeff's name, it was too late to help him.

The griever with the screaming Jeff backed up and lets the two other grievers come forwards.

"What's the sequence!"

They all back up into the pipe

"Six! Four! Eight! Three! You got it?"

Newt and Tamara kept shoving the spears into the griever, it snapped it jaw and swung its tail as it got closer and closer

"Almost there, come on!"

Newt's spear broke and he fell backwards with a shout, leaving just Tamara in front. Her heart continued to pound against her rib like a caged lion desperate for released.

Suddenly the concrete doors released and slammed shut, crushing the back two grievers but the first was getting closer and as a last-ditch effect, she threw the spear. It hit its head and screeched, momentarily distracting it enough for the finally concrete door to shut on top of it.

The pipe clamped shut, leaving the Gladers in pitch black.

It was so silent that Tamara could hear the pounding of her heart and racing blood as it rushed through her body. She could hear the others all heavily breath, it bounced off the metal walls.

There was a clank and behind them, light crept in from a now open door. The brightness hurt all their eyes for a moment.

None moved; just stared at it.

Teresa was first to make a move after several seconds off stillness, edging towards the partly open metal door to push it more. It was easy and with an elongated squeak, opened widely.

Teresa stepped out and the rest all followed. Tamara gripped the edge of the wall as she stepped out, her knees were shaking again and her fingers shook with the adrenaline rush. She took the chance to breathe, inhaling the cool sterile air that filled the room but it still felt  _fresh_  when compared to the warm and stuffy air of the Glade.

She peered around the side of the door, the hallways both ways were pitch black- like they hadn't been used in quite a while. Then suddenly from behind, they began to switch on one at a time until they were above the Gladers and passing by.

Tamara licked hers lips as they all shared glances.

They started walking, following the direction that the lights had gone.

It was familiar to Tamara, the overhead lights sent flashes of broken memories into the forefront of her mind that she couldn't put together.

They walked for a while with no real feel for time. But as they moved, Tamara noticed something in the far distance. A light. A red light with an off green one below.

As they approach it, they could see a door just past them.

Tamara's fingers brush against the off green light as they arrived at them. The lights were also familiar, she could remember laying on a medical bed being wheeled down the hallway-  _perhaps towards the lift to the Glade?_  It was mostly a fuzzy memory.

But what caught all their attention was the green light above the door.

A light that said 'EXIT'.

"Seriously?" Frypan asked in disbelief.

Tamara couldn't blame him honesty- that the Creators would put a door there with an exit sign just to mock them all.

The brunette stepped forwards this time, hand reached out for the rusted door handle. It opened with a creek, she shoved it open to reveal a room that had been completely ruined- destroyed. She frowned but could recall the room in her memories.

An alarm reached everyone's ears and dark yellow lights flashed above to match in time with the alarm.

As the door opened fully, it revealed a man- a dead man with blood on the wall where he shot dead. There was another in black uniform by a door that had been completely smashed to pieces, the glass littering the floor.

Behind an observation window, there were two covered bodied of guys and Tamara's chest clenched at the sight because they could be Gladers taken by grievers under the sheets.

"What happened here?" Clint questioned.

Tamara slip through the broken door into the main area and was immediately hit with a wave of familiarity, she stumbled at the feeling and a hand on her back stabilized her. She glanced over her shoulder to meet to concern gaze of Newt.

"M'fine." she murmured and he nodded but was obviously wasn't convinced.

Tamara moved towards the workstation that had previously belonged to her when she'd worked for them. She let out a shaky breath and as she glanced up, Teresa had taken up the workspace the opposite side. The one that had belonged to the raven. Déjà vu slammed into the brunette as they locked eyes from across the room.

"So they were watching us. This whole time." Newt muttered behind her from another set of monitors that held live recordings of the Glade.

Tamara tugged off her Runner's vest, dropping it onto the floor as her icy orbs flickered to the display below her. With a shaky finger, she pressed the red flashing fingerprint button on the screen.

She flinched when a voice started speaking, Tamara's head snapped around to the large screen to her right as the familiar ginger-haired woman appeared on the screen.

 _"Hello. My name is Doctor Ava Paige. I'm Director of Operations of the World Catastrophe Killzone Department."_ she greeted. Everyone moved forward toward the screen to watch. _"If you're watching this, that means you have successfully completed the Maze Trials. I wish I could be there in person to congratulate you... but circumstances seem to have prevented it."_

In the background of the video, the yellow lights and alarm started going off and the employees started to hurry about.

_"I'm sure by now, you must all be very confused- angry, frightened. I can only assure you, that everything that's happened to you, everything we've done to you- it was all done for a reason.-"_

The screen changed, an image of a large sun, followed by different gruesome images as she continued talking.  _"You won't remember but the Sun has scorched our world. Billions of lives lost to fire, famine, suffering on a global scale. The fallout was unimaginable. What came after was worse. We called it the Flare. A deadly virus that attacks the brain.-"_

An image of an infection- a disease spreading under a microscope. The next image was of a brain, someone pulling it out of a skull but it wasn't what it was meant to looking like, inside was covered in black veins and goo.

_"-It is violent, unpredictable, incurable. Or so we thought.-"_

An image of a man, covered in horrifying black veins and black goo that spilt from his mouth as he was held down on the medical bench by straps, had his head held as still as possible by someone wearing gloves. There was no sound and Tamara was going to be eternally thankful for that.

_"-In time, a new generation emerged that could survive the virus. Suddenly, there was a reason to hope for a cure, but finding it would not be easy. The young would have to be tested, even sacrificed inside harsh environments where their brain activity could be studied. All in an effort to understand what makes them different- what makes_ _you_ _different. You may not realize it but you're very important.-"_

Behind her there was a small explosion of sparks and an employee was shot down, another ran but was also shot. Soldiers came running into the room, shooting at all the other people.

_"-Unfortunately, your trials have only just begun. As you will no doubt soon discover, not everyone agrees with our methods. Progress is slow, people are scared. It may be too late for us- for me- but not for you. The outside world awaits.-"_

She pulled out a gun and held it to her forehead. Tamara swallowed.

_"Remember... Wicked is good."_

She pulled the trigger and Tamara flinched, turning her head away from the screen but her eyes landed on Ava's office where her body lay on the ground and pieces of glass.

Tamara moved, stepping towards the office. Some part of her just wanted to…  _see_. See if it was real. That she  _was_  dead. She didn't understand it but that woman- she… she was-

Newt placed a hand on her shoulder, snapping her out of it and she glanced at him. He silently raised his brows, a silent question hanging between the two. Tamara sighed and nodded.

There was an alarm and hiss, their eyes turning to a deadbolt door as it slid open.

"Is it over?" Chuck asked.

"She said we were important." Newt commented. "Well- what are we supposed to do now?"

"I don't know." Tamara breathed. "But I wanna get out of here."

Everyone all took a step forwards-

"No."

Tamara flinched, twisting around with wide eyes as they land on Gally.

"Gally?" she asked, stepping forward but Teresa grabbed her arm.

"Don't. He's been stung."

Tamara licked her lips nervously as Gally dropped the cylinder and noticed the gun in his other hands and her nerves doubled.

He shook his head. "We can't leave."

"We did." she started softly. "Gally, we're out. We're free."

"Free?" he scoffed. "You think we're free out there? No.  _No_ , there's no escape from this place."

He raised the gun, pointing it directly at Tamara and everyone shifted nervously. Tamara raised her hands, palms open towards him.

"Gally, listen to me. You're not thinking straight. You're not. Now, we can help you. Just put down the gun." she continued, her hands were shaking again but she didn't care because if they don't manage to talk some sense into Gally he was going to shot the gun.

"I belong to the maze."

"Just put down the gun."

"We all do."

"Gally!"

Chuck moved.

Gally pulled the trigger.

Minho threw a spear.

Tamara flinched, instinctively a hand landed on her stomach but felt nothing- he'd missed?

Gally collapsed to his knees, gasping as the spear protruded from his left side. It had barely missed his heart but it wouldn't matter, he wouldn't survive it- it was to close. He fell to the floor.

Chuck left out a breath and stumbled.

"Tamara."

The aforementioned girl glanced at him, eyes immediately lowered to the spreading red on his shirt, where they widened.

He fell and Tamara grabbed him, lowering him to the ground as he wheezed. "Chuck. Oh, shit. Shit."

Tamara pressed both hands onto the bloody patch, her heart pounding-  _please_   _no_ ,  _not Chuck._

"Look at me, look at me! Oh, shit! Chuck, look at me, all right? I got you, buddy." she stuttered, hardly paying any attention to the words falling out her mouth as she tried to keep pressure onto the bullet wound.

Chuck grasped her arm. "Tamara, Tamara-"

He pulled something out and she knew what it was immediately without seeing. "No, Chuck. You're gonna give it to them yourself. Remember, I told you that."

"Take it."

"No." Tamara shook her head, eyes burning.

"Thank you." he pried open her fingers and put it into her palm, closing her fingers around it. " _Thank you_."

He stilled.

Tamara bowed her head into his chest as she sobbed, it was raw and it hurt but she didn't care as she clutched at Chuck's shirt. She ignored the loud sound of a door opening and yelling

"Tamara." someone tugged at her and she fought.

' _Tammie.'_  Newt lifted her head, forcing her to meet his eyes.  _"We've gotta go, Tammie."_

Tamara didn't fight as he pulled her to her feet, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her close as if she'd run about to Chuck if he let go.

She knew she would and was thankful he didn't.

She clutched Newt's sleeve, using it as an anchor as she forced herself to lift her feet one after the other towards the bright exit.

The sun burned her eyes and her feet hit sand.

Tamara stumbled at the sight but Newt didn't let her fall, his arm tightened instead as they continued towards the helicopter with the soldiers flanking behind and in front of them.

She scrambled into the helicopter, Newt just behind and she tightly held Chuck's doll as she slumped against the wall. The door was closed.

She felt numb.

She just- she didn't know what to feel or how she should react.

They'd just left his body there-

Tamara watched as Newt's hands reach over and covered hers, circling his thumb along her knuckles in a soothing gesture.

She slumped against him and he moved, an arm shifting over her shoulder to tug her closer.

"You guys all right?" Tamara glanced up as the guy spoke. "Don't worry. You're safe now. Everything is gonna change."

They'd just lost not only Chuck but over half of the Gladers in the last two days-  _no_ , she wasn't okay.

But Tamara kept her mouth shut, laying her head against Newt's shoulder and clenched her eyes closed, listening to the loud sounds of the helicopter and gently movement of Newt's hand as he rubbed her shoulder.

soothing gesture.

I slump against him and he moves, an arm shifting over my shoulder to tug me closer.

"You guys all right?" I glanced up as the guy spoke, "Don't worry. You're safe now. Everything is gonna change."

We'd just lost not only Chuck but over half of the Gladers in the last two days- so  _no_ , I wasn't okay.

But I kept my mouth shut, laying my head against Newt's shoulder and clenching my eyes closed, listening to the loud sounds of the helicopter and gently movement of Newt's hand as he rubbed my shoulder.


	10. RE: THOUGHTS ON MAZE TRIALS, Group A

WICKED Memorandum, Date 232.1.15, Time 22:45

TO: My Associates

FROM: Ava Paige, Chancellor

RE: THOUGHTS ON MAZE TRIALS, Group A

By any reckoning, I think we'd all agree that the Trials were a success.

Seven survivors, while a little disappointed at such a low number, all are well qualified for our planned endeavor. The responses to the Variables were satisfactory and encouraging. The boy's murder and the 'rescue' proved to be a valuable finale. We needed to shock their systems, see their responses.

Oddly enough, seeing them this way, thinking all is well, has been the hardest thing for me to observe. But there's no time for regret. For the good of our people, we will move forward. But to me, we are all well aware of what's at stake.

I, for one, am encouraged.

Remember that both Tamara and Teresa have mentioned flashes of memories they have had removed, one thing they both held onto;  _WICKED is good_. While they might not agree with that just yet once more, the subjects will eventually recall and understand the purpose of the hard things we have done and plan to do to them. The mission of WICKED is to serve and preserve humanity, no matter the cost. We are, indeed, 'good'.

I was surprised upon noticing that both Subject A2, Tamara and Subject A5, Newt have rekindled their telepathic connection after so long without use with relative ease. It had been theorized that the lack of use and memories would have kept up the barrier that Tamara had been ordered to put up upon Subject A5 being sent into the Maze but this discovery was interesting all the same.

However, it seemed, while subject A1 Teresa and A2 Tamara had also rekindled their connections, Tamara now experiences pain while Teresa speaks but not the other way around. It is another interesting discovery, I am curious about how pre-Tamara was able to savatage the connection for future-Tamara. Did they learn more about their abilities then they let on perhaps?

Please respond with your own reactions and thoughts.

For now, the subjects will be allowed to rest and recover before Stage Two will be implemented. At this time, let's allow ourselves to feel hopeful. Group B's trial results were also most extraordinary.

I need time to process the data, but we can touch on it in the morning.

Until tomorrow, then

Chancellor Ava Paige.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be adding a chapter when i post the first chapter of the next instalment :)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed part 1.


	11. Sequal

The sequel is up.

The name of it is **Sea of Sands**.


End file.
